Bright lights, big city

President Bush to the press corps: “When I get out of here, I am getting off the stage,” he said. “I have had my time in the Klieg lights.”

So that's the problem! Not only has Bush believed himself to be a film star, he's become afflicted with actinic conjuctivitis.

"The carbon-arc source was so bright that it allowed film directors to make "day" at night, which also heralded the era of blinding actors—a term coined as "Klieg eye"."

"Symptoms are redness and swelling of the eyes," also known as crying or nostalgia.