Abnormal reaction to bright lighting is not a direct symptom of any disease under the COPD umbrella. However, long term use of long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) and inhaled corticosteroids used to treat COPD may cause glaucoma, and glaucoma can lead to an over-sensitivity to bright lights but generally also associated with other new or worsening symptoms of eye pain, nausea, blurred vision, and halos (colors around lights or bright objects). We also tend to simply develop glaucoma as we age, ie, you may just be getting older. So, are you also experiencing additional symptoms with your vision?

Another possibility is depression (possibly also anxiety), a common reaction to a progressive disease and also a common side effect of many COPD medications. Depression or avoiding the outside world tends to keep us in the dark and quiet and then when exposed to bright lights, increased noise, or large open areas, causes us to be excessively sensitive, or thin-skinned, causing strong reactions. We tend to dismiss these types of problems as psycho-babble or psychosomatic, BUT they are very real and just as debilitating as COPD itself.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/copd/copd-and-depression.aspx

First go get your eyes checked. See if any of the above signs of depression apply to you. If you are still experiencing a reaction to bright lights keep a careful record of any other symptoms, then see your GP or Pulmonologist.

Oops! Meant to suggest Cataracts AND Glaucoma and not just single out glaucoma. Cataracts is a thickening and coloring of the lens, and glaucoma is changes to the optic nerve very different pathologies and over-all symptoms but the differences in vision can be subtle and the advice remains the same get your eyes checked.

I get anxiety just at the though of shopping. That is one thing I wish I could give up all together!
At my local department/grocery store, they have turned off half of their lights (I assume to save energy?), that creates a weird "dusk" type atmosphere with many shadows & can put me off balance when I don't pay attention.

Are you on supplemental 02?
I have found that keeping my sp02 up above 90% when shopping is one of my hard things to do. i can drop into mid 70's without realizing it, even though I set my LPM higher.
When I get low 02 i start feeling weak & dizzy, sometimes I break out in a sweat like I am going to pass out. Kind of like a vertigo type feeling.
I haven't related these feelings to the lighting, just shopping with the stop & go & pushing the weight of a cart I have a hard time with my 02.
I noticed that your profile says that you have a "pseudotumor cerebri" (PTC)---could it have something to do with the lights bothering you?
Welcome to the group, I am sorry that you have COPD, but hope you can find some answers here.

Jarca, you are correct I have raised intracranial pressures although mild........perhaps I should look into that. I just can sort out what is what. I now have 3 million to one disorders........good grief! My legs feel like rubber standing in line, the lights in stores are a nightmare and I am not sure what is what that is why I was asking. My breathing seems ok unless I try to carry something really heavy. Gnott, lol i just had cataract surgery twice this year but the light issue what there before that. I have postural orthostatic tachycardia, bollous pemphigoid, chiari..........have been taking low dose prednisone for 2 1/2 years and wonder is it the prednisone that is causing this nightmare?? Thanks for the responses you guys are great!

DottieJean;
Shopping is hard on me & thru this board I learned that there are many ways to shop online for even food.
Amazon has a food shopping option now (although i wasn't real impressed with it)
Walmart.com you can shop for non-perishible foods. I buy a lot of my monthly supplies there as if the order is over $50.00 they deliver it free, right to my door.
I have found more & more things that I can buy on there & save that much time in the store shopping. It's great for things like toilet paper, laundry det., OTC meds, candy, cookies, crackers, bottled juice, dog food & treats etc.
I especially love it in the winter when I don't want to drive or haul everything from the car to the house in the snow .
Then I just have to go get milk, bread, frozen things etc.
It cuts my actual store shopping in about half.
Don't know if that might help you, but thought it couldn't hurt to mention....I am so glad people on this site told me about it.
Also, if you are in a bigger city with more grocery store options; many stores are starting to have delivery services.
good luck :)

Thank you so much for your replies! I just have a hard time feel so lightheaded all the time, I really do not feel short of breath ugh, just have so much trouble with lights in stores. Can't stand still without moving in place and feel weak. Can anyone relate to this or is it possibly something else? thanks so much you are all SO wonderful!

I love to shop on Amazon. May never have to go to the store again except for groceries and all ours have electric riding carts. I use a dollar store nearby for milk, eggs etc. to avoid the huge grocery stores where produce is at one end and dairy at a football field away.
Do sunglasses not help? There was a gorgeous full moon tonight.