Visual snow?

[Xocnagem]

Just wondering how many of you have "visual snow" or scheerers phenomenon. I've had it for as long as i can remember. It's a lot worse when I am outside. Flashing lights, zig zags. Someone mentioned yesterday how they heard that VS can be caused from brain disorders and it has me just a little worried. And now I'm paying extra attention to all of these sypmtoms.

[Scaredandworried]

Wow, just had a major anxiety attack after searching this. 

Is it normal for people to have a bit of grainy vision? Just a little bit?

[Xocnagem]

I'm SO sorry! I didn't mean for this to scare anyone. I did a little research on it, and it is quite common for people to have this, and the "static" that you talk about!

[Scaredandworried]

I'm SO sorry! I didn't mean for this to scare anyone. I did a little research on it, and it is quite common for people to have this, and the "static" that you talk about!

Don't worry, it's not your fault. It's just that I've been trying to avoid googling this for a while and finally cracked and all my emotions came pouring out. It's was probably better to get it over with anyway so I can stop worrying. 

I'm really not sure what to believe now, some people say its normal, some say its visual snow which seems to be a rare disorder that effects vision? 

[Maisie77]

I seem to have many floaters in my vision on a regular basis . Definitely is worse in the sunlight.   Is this what you guys mean by snow?

[Scaredandworried]

No, it's like a grainy sort of vision.

I'm really freaking out, the head pains they talked about, I have. With floaters, does anyone see circle cell type ones? Or is that unique to people with VS? They also mentioned how his got worse over time and at the start he hardly noticed it. I'm getting so scared.

[Xocnagem]

I do have the grainy vision too. It's more just when i look at the sky or at the TV and computer. The circle ones could be floaters. Those are totally normal. I think if you talked to everyone on this site they would say they've had them. What head pains are you talking about? At the moment I'm having a head pain that shoots down to my neck. I've been really tense lately, and i start classes back up tomorrow so I'm linking it to that.

[mollyfin]

Visual snow since I was a little kid.  When I first started noticing it I freaked out but my mom was like "yeah everyone sees that, chill out."  It got pretty bad at one point a few years ago, and is again now...maybe medication side effects coupled with anxiety?

[Echo Hotel]

I think everyone has that and most people just never think about it. I conducted a quick poll of a few friends and everyone says they have this "grainy" vision thing with streaks and floaters and things they just looked at still "burned" onto their field of vision.

[Xocnagem]

Exactly! I remember when i was maybe around 15ish going to the beach and looking up at the sky and seeing all these flashy lights, and "grainy" things .. like a static TV. Silly me thought it was germs or something. So I've probably always had it but I'm hyper aware of everything now! =)

[Echo Hotel]

Yep. The hyper awareness part of anxiety is the worst! It's so hard sometimes to remember if these things were always there or not. I really think most ohysical symptoms of anxiety are just totally normal sensations that we all get from time to time just blown out of proportion because we develop this laser like focus on them.

[Scaredandworried]

So what is this visaul snow then? They say its so bad yu can't ignore it so there must be something toit.

[krispy]

Yes. My whole life. I see the craziest crap, all the time.

grainy, visual snow
colored, luminous blobs
things I would describe as "diamond-like, caught-in-light twigs"????
afterimages
trails
mosquito-y flying specks.
all kinds of weird stuff. you name it i've seen it. 

It is horrible in the dark. At night I can't see a damn thing. So. Much. Snow.

I've seen so many doctors about this crap. My ophthalmologist didn't have a clue what I was talking about. An ophthalmic neurologist was the only doc I've seen who knew. He said he often sees visual snow in people with anxiety, and that they don't know anything about it, but it is benign and to just deal with it. So.

It's really disturbing, I know. The best thing to do is to try to accept and ignore it. I personally think that people who see visual snow simply have a hyperawareness, or are lacking a filter, and that everybody actually sees this stuff to some degree but most lack the sensitivity to recognize it.

Certain medications can make it worse, and I've read that zinc, magnesium, and B12 supps can be helpful.

[Scaredandworried]

I do have the grainy vision too. It's more just when i look at the sky or at the TV and computer. The circle ones could be floaters. Those are totally normal. I think if you talked to everyone on this site they would say they've had them. What head pains are you talking about? At the moment I'm having a head pain that shoots down to my neck. I've been really tense lately, and i start classes back up tomorrow so I'm linking it to that.

The head pains are just random dull pains around different ares of the head. They don't last long.

[Scaredandworried]

Nothing?

[krispy]

I do have the grainy vision too. It's more just when i look at the sky or at the TV and computer. The circle ones could be floaters. Those are totally normal. I think if you talked to everyone on this site they would say they've had them. What head pains are you talking about? At the moment I'm having a head pain that shoots down to my neck. I've been really tense lately, and i start classes back up tomorrow so I'm linking it to that.

The head pains are just random dull pains around different ares of the head. They don't last long.

your head pains are probably nerve or muscle related due to anxiety or stress. Keep in mind that the brain doesn't have any nerve endings so your actual brain cannot be hurting. if you were having an aneurysm or something severe the pain would be intense and accompanied by other symptoms. Nothing is wrong with your head, I promise.

let us clarify the difference between floaters and visual snow.

Floaters: are totally normal and everyone sees them, and yet again it is a question of awareness, because almost everyone has them and mostly we don't notice them. They can look like transparent lines or circles...like germs, or they can be little grey areas that move around when you move your eyes. Floaters are from the vitreous gel behind your eyes. The gel breaks off and you get these little floater things. Sometimes they'll go away after a while.

Visual snow: seems to be slightly different for everyone experiencing it. it is mostly characterized by static that covers the entire field of vision, and can include flashes of light, little spots of color, after-images (looking at your room and then looking elsewhere and seeing a faint, polarized image of what your were just looking at, or seeing a bright light and having an image of where that light was resting in your vision for a while) and trails (seeing something in movement, like moving your hand and seeing a ghost image of your hand slightly trailing the actual movement).  Causes are unknown, and some people are lifers, while others develop it concurrent to anxiety, or after using a lot of hallucinogenic drugs. Some people say it is a psychological thing, other say it is a vascular thing related to ocular migraines (which i've also had and it's not the same). It is a big-0104 mystery to most medical professionals, and while it often makes me really anxious even though I've had it all my life, it has helped to refer to it endearingly as SPARKLEVISION, as an enhanced and more interesting perception of the world. Things become a lot less scary when you own and de-villainize them.

I've had the whole gamut of tests: MRIs, CAT scans, EEG, any poking and proding that an ophthalmologist is legally allowed to conduct. Nothing is wrong with my eyes or my brain, and I'll wager that nothing is wrong with yours either. If you have it, you have it. and you won't go blind and you won't die, it will get better and worse and better again, mostly based on your awareness of it.

Hope this helps a little. :)

[JunoX]

I have severe visual snow. At night its terrible. During the day, I dint notice it. My visual snow is very intense. Sometimes it seems like the worst of it is concentrated on a spot right in front of my vision even though it covers the entire visual field. My vision is like a bad TV reception all night. I also have the burn ins, trails and halos.

[Scaredandworried]

I don't know if mine is more than normal though? It's hard cause i can't compare it to other people. Only one friend he saw the static when looking at a wall, my others did not.

I don't know if its normal. If it is, why is there sites dedicated to during it and testing it? Why do only some see it?

[gridder]

I didn't know thee was a name for this. . . i got it the other morning and it spooked me. Glad to know I am not the only one!

[LivD]

I have a LOT of visual phenomena and my eyes are perfect. It got worse one year ago, now that I manage to keep my anxiety at bay, my vision is becoming better. NOT focusing on these things is crucial!

I have visual snow, Scheerer's when I'm outside (please notice that it's not the same thing), floaters, spots that come and go, I see my pulsation in my eyes...

[Xocnagem]

With my anxiety being on over drive this week, I keep noticing these really quick flashes of light .. it's like a stream. Lasts like 3 seconds. Is this a normal anxiety symptom? I've noticed that it happens a lot more if I am on the computer.

[Ava2209]

Hiya - Yes I get that .. have had it for years, went to a neurologist and all  .. its called having an aura! It usually comes on before a silent migraine or a seizure in epileptics. I usually get the zigzags, sometimes sparkles, tingling in my fingers and get super sensitive to light! Only sometimes do I get a headache after having it ...

Try and relax - close your eyes and don't open them until the zig zags are gone .. if you can just lie down for a while and it will pass.

Go and wiki it and see does what I've written make sense to you.

Good luck.

A

[LivD]

I don't think X. means this.

Scotomas (in migraine auras) are very annoying and alter your normal vision for 30-60 minutes.

[Inuyasha_Muffin]

I have those too x.x I only recently googled and found something. palinopsia. I noticed the trails back in july but just recently ive REALLY noticed after images and before that I got "double vision" but thats really only with tvs computers or things that lights glare upon. I did go to the eye doctor for my double vision in december and he said it was my astigmatism... well i noticed that its back again and I WISH he would have dialated my eyes... I was so scared of my current issue that I forgot to mention the trails. x.x Im so afraid that theres something wrong with my brraaaain.

I also see the snow but typically just when i look at the sky or like a blank white wall.

I read that the things we're all talking about happens to HEALTHY people often

[Pillow_Pants]

I know we aren't supposed to Google anything but please look up "blue field entoptic phenomenon", it will calm you call down. This is a normal thing that EVERYONE has, but only few people are hyper aware of it. You're actually seeing your white blood cells!!! I know, it's crazy!!!