Greetings to our AutismWorks Family,

I can hear a loud jet fly by without covering my ears. I can handle a great deal of noise. Even so, there is a time for quiet.

I think about sight in a similar way.

Our eyes can experience their own kind of “noise.” By that, I mean the light, movement, colors, screens, and other things competing for our attention. A room can be silent and still have a lot happening in front of us.

For me, darkness can bring a sense of peace to my eyes.

Darkness is a kind of quiet that I can experience through sight.

We often understand the value of turning down the volume. We lower the television, step away from a conversation, or enjoy a few moments without anything playing in the background.

I think there is value in considering that same balance across our senses.

With smell, we can appreciate a pleasant scent while also enjoying a space that is not filled with fragrances. There does not always need to be something for the nose to notice.

With touch, comfort at home might mean wearing less, choosing fewer layers, or changing into clothing that feels comfortable against the skin. We can give ourselves room to decide what feels good in our own space.

With taste, I think about being able to enjoy a meal quietly and without unnecessary stress. Sometimes the setting around the meal deserves as much attention as what is on the plate.

And with sight, there can be relief in having less to look at.

That is the balance I am describing. We can enjoy our senses and also make room for a quieter experience.

A bright room may contain more visual activity than we first notice: an overhead light, a television, a phone screen, reflections from a window, or people moving nearby.

When I describe these things as visual noise, I am talking about how much there is to take in.

Some individuals with autism are sensitive to bright lighting, patterns, or visually crowded spaces. Sensitivity can differ across the senses and can also change with the situation. Someone who is comfortable with sound may have a very different response to light.

My response to a passing jet tells you something about my experience of that sound. It cannot tell you how another person experiences it, or how either of us feels about everything else around us.

That is why asking about the individual matters.

For me, darkness offers the possibility of less visual activity. I am describing the peace that can come from giving my eyes a quieter experience.

We do not have to wait for someone to become overwhelmed before asking what would make a space more comfortable.

A person may simply prefer the lights lower. They may want to turn off a screen, close a curtain, or sit somewhere with less movement around them.

Those preferences are worth hearing.

If you support someone with autism, talk with them about what they notice and what helps. Practical adjustments can include a quieter place to eat or a change to the lighting. The person’s own experience should guide the conversation.

Try asking, “How does this room feel to you?” or “Would you like the light brighter, dimmer, or off?”

Allow them to answer through speech, writing, gestures, or their usual way of communicating. Give them an opportunity to try a change and tell you whether it helped.

Their answer may be different from yours. That gives you useful information about how to share a space more comfortably.

If you want to explore what quiet for the eyes could look like, start with one small change:

• Offer a choice of lighting. Ask whether the person would prefer the overhead light, a lamp, dimmer light, or darkness. Keep enough light for whatever they need to do.

• Give screens a break. Try turning off a television that no one is watching or setting aside a phone for a few minutes. Notice whether the space feels different.

• Choose somewhere with less visual activity. A seat away from a busy walkway or a view of a simpler part of the room may be worth trying.

• Consider the other senses, too. Ask about sound, scents, clothing, and temperature. Dimming a room may be only one part of what someone would find comfortable.

• Let the person adjust the experience. They may want a brief break, a small amount of light, or the lights back on. Give them a say in what happens next.

These are things to explore together. The useful question is whether a change feels right to the person experiencing it.

Darkness will not feel peaceful to everyone. Some people enjoy bright spaces, movement, and color. Others prefer a little light nearby. Those preferences deserve the same consideration.

What I want to share is the possibility that darkness can be comforting.

For me, it can bring the kind of peace I associate with quietness. I can appreciate what there is to see and still enjoy a moment with less in front of my eyes.

This week, take a moment to notice your surroundings. What is asking for your attention? Is there something you would like to turn down, put away, or change?

Ask someone in your family what makes a space feel peaceful to them. You might discover that you find comfort in different ways.

Sometimes the eyes need quiet, too.

With gratitude,

Tyler McNamer
AutismWorks