system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
When I open my blinds in the morning, is it "too bright" for my eyes, the optical nerve, or the part of my brain interpreting the data? Where does the pain of bright light come from?
gpt
All pain is a warning of damage. Basically the pain you feel is a warning that your retina is receiving too much light and the sensory overload could fry your nerves. Your iris will constrict quickly, which is uncomfortable and plays into the pain response, but the basis of it is your body screaming " hey, we evolved this really sick organ, but its sensitive as hell so take care of it". The pain is just an impulse warning and the fact that your eyes completely bypass your spine means that it's basically instant. There's none of that toe-stubbing wait.