Is Anyone Else with Me on This?

Yes, you are that strange.
I'm an alabaster-skinned gree-eyed redhead who has problems driving at night in the rain because of the glare, and even *I* don't hate light that much.

Super sensitive to light? Super sensitive to scents? Super sensitive to sounds? Super sensitive in general?

Nope, SLM, no SPD here. No way.

:(

I can take it or leave it.
My son will light up a room just to walk through it, but it doesn't bother me.
Some people just like seeing everything clearly.
I like a light on when I'm watching tv or a computer screen, but if I need a glass of water in the middle of the night, I'm happy walking through a dark house to get it.
Before lasik I was extremely nearsighted - could not see beyond the tip of my nose without contacts, but I got very good at remembering where things were and moving without seeing well.
Not everyone is that comfortable with navigating blind.

To each their own...everyone has their way of doing things and I'd say that's fine. I don't know that I'd call you strange, but I couldn't do it. As soon as I get up in the morning I open the blinds and curtains and I like to have light until we're beginning to settle down at night. Everyone's different. I guess that's what makes us great.

My in-laws are like you. We call them "Mole People"!
I have to have my room well lit.

We were really poor growing up. We HAD to keep lights off, to be able to pay the electric bill. (Sometimes, it didn't matter.) I am so used to being in the dark. My husband loves light, so we are always trying to find a balance. I could be in the dark day and night and be happy. I( do love being outside in the light, but I don't like it inside. People always comment on how dark our house is. I tell them about our tiny electric bills ;)

I've developed quite a gift for being able to do anything in the dark.

I do consider it strange.

It's one thing to have little quirks here & there that don't affect anyone else. However, it appears that you run a home daycare, so your hang up is affecting not only your family, but the kids that you care for all day. If I were considering day cares & found one that was dimly lit, as it sounds like yours is, I would pass, personally.

If it's a preference that has nothing to do with your health or something like that, and you are responsible for other people kids, then I think you need to compromise somewhere, not only for those kids, but for your family, as well.

All I can is I can't imagine forcing everyone else to deal with it because I refused to meet somewhere in the middle. It sounds like it is affecting your family togetherness & I find that very sad. It also like a depressing way to live.

I was attacked in the dark 1 too many times. I leave the lights on 24/7.

I turn off the light in my room while I'm sleeping ... but have blinds that I leave tilted so the light comes in in the morning, and leave the lights on in every other room of the house.

When I LEAVE the house, because I often turn lights off in the daytime, light from outside being bright enough... I go through the house and turn lights ON instead of off. Even if I think I'll be back soon... so that I'm not coming home to a dark house.

With the low energy bulbs (they take a bit to warm up, but I nearly never shut them off) it costs the same to light my house almost 24/7 as it does my parents to light their house just a few hours a day, shutting lights off in every room they aren't.

So we're on the opposite side of the fence!!! I go around behind people turning lights ON!!!

I have very few ptsd-ish side effects left over from way back when. Living in the dark, and being attacked in the dark, is one of them. I won't do it. Not for any reason. If it came a choice between the food bill or the electrical bill (although our electrical bill is 1/4 of our food bill), the electrical would get paid.

Well we all have our little quirks and I usually say live and let live. I have a fair sensitivity to noise, especially voices and TV, it drives me crazy when those are loud.
And my aunt is a lot like you. Her shades are always drawn, lights are generally off, nothing but the glow of the TV. I hate going over there, I find it not ONLY annoying but downright depressing. But that's just me.

I worry about you chasing your family members into their own areas in the evening. Doesn't that affect your family time? I have teenagers so I am fighting the opposite battle, trying to keep us all in the kitchen for at least a little while before everyone scurries off to their rooms and phones :(

And who is this "someone else in my house" who comes along turning on lights and apologizing for you? And who are they apologizing to? Sounds creepy, more info please!

Everybody see's light differently. Some people are just more sensitive to light. Some people have night blindness. People may be turning on lights because they truly can't see in low light.

I have a aunt who is very sensitive to glare it really bothers her eyes. She has glaucoma and that is a common symtom. Have you been checked for glaucoma?

Yes.

Most people need light to thrive so if you can't stand light then you need to accept you are not the norm.

It is your house, keep it as you like but when you invite people in you are going to get comments because most people are effected by the lack of light.

"When the sun goes down at night I only have the lights coming from computers, tv's, or small fish tanks etc."

So if you are not on the computer, or watching TV -- your house is illuminated by fish tanks? I hope you have one in each room!

I am concerned that you "chase your family" into their own areas -- as most people need light to read, to write, to do homework, to cook. I
can't imagine what "areas" your family is restricted to -- but it sounds
like you,and your fish tanks, have the run of the house -- and your poor
light-seeking brood is left to feel their way around in the darkness.

I think your response to light is highly unusual, and should not be considered a normal need that your family should be expected to simply adapt to.

I would suggest you book a slew of specialists to evaluate your eyes, and neurological functions -- as this seems extreme.

I also think it might be more reasonable for you to wear sunglasses inside, than for your whole family to fumble around by the light of a fish tank.

The way I am reading this is if it is not natural sunlight - you don't want it on or in your home. So to ensure you stay "dark" you only use night lights for minimal light. Am I reading that right?

You should get your eyes checked. Or a neurological exam to rule out any medical issues - migraines, etc. It's not "normal" - meaning the majority of people don't do it - I know there are people that DO do this. But they are few and far between.

My sister in law is like this. When we went to visit her - ONE light would be on in the house and it was VERY low light. I personally don't like man-made light - especially fluorescent light - I can't stand a DARK room unless I'm sleeping.

So I guess I can say I'm not with you on it. It's a quirk you have. Your loved ones need to deal with it. I would wonder if it's a medical condition - I would talk to my doctor just to see if there is something wrong.

Light in the daytime that is natural light is so cheerful and I love it. Every room is full of light. Even in the evening I have lights on but also you can set a mood with lights so not all bright or certain lights on or dim lights all make you feel a certain way. I think it would be hard to 'feel' very able to do much in dark like you have it at night. Maybe it calms you after a busy day with daycare all day. I do think it is not the 'norm'.

My husband and I both prefer low lighting. He would just have the glow of the tv and computer left to his own devices, I prefer to have lamps that are more decorative/mood lighting. Most of our guests complain and so we also have bright lights in place to be used when we have company. We are not as sensitive as you seem to be though.
I think one of the problems you are facing here is that people have an expectation that a daycare to be well lit. It may cause parents a small level of discomfort when they come to pick up their child and find your place so dimly lit. Could you possibly have a front room or area of your house where pick up and drop off takes place that is very well lit?

night driving bothers me, so i'm with you there, I also prefer natural light in the day time.

My MIl keeps her blinds closed during the day, only small table lamps on for task lighting and hates over head lights.

I absolutely hate to be at her house it drives me nuts to strain to see anything. As we get older my husband is becoming more and more like that. I want an overhead light on so i can see what i'm doing, I literally CAN NOT see in the dark.

I've thought about recently as we have a "front room" essentally living room that no one uses it has a piano no one plays and a couch, thats about it. our hang out room is in the back of the house we call it the family room with two couches, the TV, fireplace, family games etc. Anyhow, the Living room has no over head lighting and the room faces west so we don't get much strong light during the day. We need to buy some floor lamps but i don't think anything will give me the over all light that i want to make the room comfortable to me,

Anyhow i'm rambling, but in your situation I really thing you need to separate your daycare from your family more. try to focus more on making your family comfortable and showing them you care, and working towards a compromise.

I'm the opposite of you--I like things well lit at night. I would be uncomfortable living the way you do and that may be true of your family too (though they don't have to be mean about it). It does take a little while for a person's pupils to adjust to a big change in lighting (like walking inside from bright daylight). And I think a certain amount of variation in how much light a person likes is normal. But I'd run it past your eye doctor to see if there is a problem since you already have one. If you have a home daycare, keep in mind the kids may be too young to turn on the lights themselves and may be afraid of the dark. I turn 1 light on in each room at dusk because my kids will not go into a room with no light on at night (they are 3 and almost 6).

I used ti be able to see in the tiniest bit of light.. Now I really have trouble seeing where I am going without a light.

You do just seem to be very sensitive to light.

If you have spoken with your Optometrist and they say you are fine, not sure what else you can do, except be aware that most people usually need light to see, read and move around safely.

I am that way to a certain point. I prefer sunlight during the day and will rarely have any other light on. However at night, it hurts my eyes too much to just use the TV or computer light, no matter how low I have the brightness set. I put low wattage colored bulbs in a few of my lamps, so I can have some other lights and not be blinded by the TV or computer.

I'm opposite of you. I need a bright room. I have high ceilings and light gets lost so I have several lamps (high wattage) as well as fluorescent lights in the ceiling lighting fixtures. The long shadows drive me nuts. Although, I do hate sun light directly in my eyes.

hahaha, so funny to me bc I am very similar. My husband calls me a vampire ;) When I was a teen my mom used to call my room my lair bc I never opened the curtains and only ever had a low wattage lamp on or just the tv at night. I am still that way ;) I hate with a passion overhead light. Fluorescent light is horrible. I like lamps, candles, indirect light etc. I like to shower with the closet light and the little light over the toilet only but of course if my hubby walks in he flips on the 20 thousand lights over the sink ;) When I get up in the morning I just turn on one light over our dining table that is very dim and I make coffee, as soon as my husband comes in he will start grousing about how he can't see, like I am doing something bad by simply enjoying low light! It used to annoy me but now I don't care, I like natural light or low light, so what! I wear sunglasses even on semi cloudy days bc there is still glare. I have great vision! So for me your house sounds perfect! I think a lot of people actually like low lighting bc very nice restaurants have low lighting, evening weddings have low lighting, receptions-low lighthing, I could go on, but well we all get the idea. Maybe we are just really high class ;) But I TOTALLY feel you and I also get annoyed when people comment on my lighting, I don't care that they like it bright why should they care that I like it dark??

No, you are not really that strange. I have the fewest lights possible on in my home, too. I'm even more sensitive to noise. I can't stand, physically can't stand, a TV on in a room while I'm trying to talk with someone, or a TV/music/radio on in a room with no one listening to it, or even if the volume is up too loudly while I am listening to it.

I am an introvert by personality type. These characteristics (dislike of bright lights, noisy places, crowded places, strong smells, etc.) can go along with this personality type. We Introverts recharge our energy internally, not from outside sources like Extraverts do, and so need to reduce the outside stimulation to feel energized. Too much outside stimulation is draining for us.

You have light sensitivity. I have it too and can read the easiest in little light. My MIL used to follow me around and turn on the overhead lights and nearly blind me.

When I am going to be in rooms with florescent lighting I wear a brimmed hat so I don't get a headache.

My Critical Flicker Frequency is where I can see the florescent bulbs blinking too. It drives my eyes nuts.

There really aren't any tests they can do to quantify this diagnosis. It is a reported diagnosis, like "It is uncomfortable when this happens and I like dim lights much better". They can right you a Doc's note stating you have this and if it comes up, like for jury duty or something where you have no choice as to how the lights are set up it comes in handy. It may also shut the parent up about how you like the lighting.

Wearing shaded lenses is also a good option. Even if they are just slightly gray and not dark it will help.

You're not that strange. All of us have our own 'quirks'. Sounds like your friends and family need to accept you as you are and just deal with your quirk about the lights. If you were my friend, I may say to my husband when talking about you, "You know .... LiveBold, my friend who hates lights?" So you may label yourself, but whatever. People should accomodate you in your own home and in your own car and with your own children.

How do you see what you need to see without light?

It is a little odd, but perhaps your eyes are just more sensitive to light than most peoples. I have relatives who are VERY sensitive to sounds and they can be very cranky and annoyed at what most people would consider normal, ambient sounds like a radio on in another room or a normal conversation, and laughter is SDO loud to them! It is hard for people with normal sensitivities to understand and even harder to visit with or even live with them! I would guess that your eyes simply have more rods than most people’s eyes do so light seems stronger to you, or maybe your eyes take longer to adjust to light than other people, I don’t know. In any case, it is just your cross to bear, try to explain your perception of light to others but also try to be understanding of their needs too.

I love light, lots of it. Maybe it's the weather here in the midwest, it's so gray in the winter. Oh well, to each his own.

My family calls me the vampire. During the day, I let in the least amount of light possible. The shades in my dining room and living room are pulled down almost all the time. My kitchen gets some light through the back door, but that's about it. Same thing in my bedroom. I just like it pretty dark. Honestly, my mother who I believe has seasonal affective disorder (I think that's what it's called) comes in my house and starts opening the shades. All that does for me is let me see all the dust/dirt I didn't clean well - lol. I have very sensitive eyes and I always wear sunglasses. Too much sun and I get a headache. I follow people around and turn lights off too. It doesn't bother me that other people think I'm weird. I actually like the lighting around my house at night to be more mood lighting.

Whatever...I get that you like something a certain way. But you "chase our family into their own areas as soon as possible in the evening?"---that's messed up to tell the truth. My mom had stuff like that. But the house is ALL of OURS. She had the good sense to know that if she wanted quiet or darkness, she could go to her bedroom or the formal den where she had could cross stitch under a lamp or something. When I want something different than THE FAMILY, then I leave the family rooms and go to my room, or even the guest suite if I don't want to be found for a couple hours (to do some reading, writing, or hide in a bubble bath). Kids (or husband that is paying for the bulk of the house) shouldn't have to go to their own rooms if you're the one that wants things "different".

I need light. I get depressed when there is not enough light :(

My husband is sensitive to light. He has small pupils (pinpoint size) and light bothers him. I like light and do put on the overhead in the living room in the morning when I get up so that I can see. Later I will turn it off when the sun is shining.

So I understand where you are coming from. I just hate to feel like I am living in a cave. My special areas are bright and his are dull.

We have gotten use to it and compromise when in the living room together watching TV or talking.

The other S.

No your not strange. I myself don't like light, it bothers me alot and I go nuts when I don't have my sunglasses when I go out and about, I keep my room very dark, sometimes the T.V light will bother me, so I will change it. I constantly go around and turn off the lights if they are to bright and even the computer light can be a pain. so I understand!!!
Dee:)

We have dimmers in most rooms of my house. That way I can control the amount of light in the room. Once it gets dark, I prefer the lights to be softer. Its easier to relax and helps me unwind for the night. We also use night lights in the bathroom and the kitchen once we go to bed incase someone gets up at night and needs a little light.

maybe just a little strange.
:)
i'm with you in not caring for artificial light, in fact i recently posted on a thread about outside dusk-to-dawn lights (i LOATHE them.)
i adore light, love my southern-facing house, and only ever close the blinds in my bedroom so i can sleep. fortunately we're pretty private so my wide-open windows and refusal to wear clothes at home probably doesn't scare the neighbors too often<G>.
but at night, i like the natural darkness. sometimes i'm startled if someone comes out to the barn with me at night because i forget they might need more light than i do. i never turn on the lights, i know my way there so well and have good night vision. i was raised to turn off lights when not in use, so while i don't necessarily keep my house as dark as you do or chase the family into well-lighted areas, i only use as much light as need and have impressed on the boys to be conservative with lights at night. late in the evening when it's *my* time i'm either at the computer with no lights but the monitor, or in the living room with just fire and candlelight and the tv.
unless i'm reading of course.
i don't understand why anyone would tell you to turn on lights when you're not in the room. i wouldn't stand for that. but if your house is so dark that the daycare kids are squinting when their parents come to pick them up and turn on the lights, then yeah, you might be taking it a little far.
but i do get it.
:) khairete
S.

I'm with you. Never liked a lot of light. Hate fluorescent lighting (like they have in supermarkets & schools). Pretty much avoid direct sunlight. We always thought it has something to do with my very-light-blue eyes, and the fact that it's a migraine trigger for me.

I just keep plugging away at getting people to turn things off, and pull down shades when there's a glare.... It's really hard when I'm working in an office, easier now that I'm a SAHM. I've been known to wear a brimmed hat, pulled way down, to go food shopping, and NO. Sunglasses don't seem to work the same way as lessening the amount of light around me.

I have a friend like you, i swear he hates light too. We joke that if he had the chance he'd punch Thomas Edison in the face.

Im the opposite, the lights start out the day bright in my house, then regardless of the outside conditions i decide when to start dimming them and shutting them off. We have over head lights and lamps all over the place then as night progresses things get darker but never shut off completely. I keep nightlights in each bathroom , a range top light to illuminate the kitchen and my china cabinet stays lit to illuminate the den. however it is quite dim.

And your saving money on hydro and helping the environment. Fake light is annoyingly... fake. It feels impersonal and very industrial, not homey or cozy like natural light, i always loved the light from a fireplace or bonfire, so cozy.

You can certainly not like overhead lights. I don't like them either. But you need to have some sort of lights other than nightlights on, you need to live in a way so that other family members and parents of children and other children can also enjoy the space, not just you. Even some low light lamps spread around the home will do. You are caring for other people's children. Children need good light to do activities, crafts and education and the like. It's sad your family has to suffer and be uncomfortable in their home in order to appease you. You all have to compromise.

No way, I need every light in the house on! I have to really struggle to see in low lit places and it is not pleasant for me to need to struggle like that. Why not just make it easy & turn the dang lights on?? Lol. My hubby is not the same way though & will shower just using the closet light. I'm surprised he can see anything at all in the dark like that! ;)