If you have blue, green, or gray eyes, you may have noticed yourself squinting into the sunlight more than your brown-eyed counterparts or needing a respite from the fluorescent lights at work. You may wonder if it’s all in your head — or is there truth to the rumor that people with light eyes are more sensitive to sunlight?
According to Duke ophthalmologist Anupama Horne, MD, the answer is yes — your baby blues are indeed likely contributing to your squinting and discomfort under bright lights.
Horne explains that photophobia — the term used to describe light sensitivity — typically affects people with light eyes because they have less pigmentation in multiple layers of the eye than those with darker eyes. Because of this, they are unable to block out the effects of harsh lights like sunlight and fluorescent lights.
