Irritating Visual Static

a reply to: kaelci

Yes, I describe it like a layer on the "overlay" setting (if you've used Photoshop). 10% opacity is also probably a reasonable descriptor.

The flickering was a separate point to the static. Sorry, I shouldn't have used that to describe the tiny white dots things, I should have said "twinkling" since that is more accurate. The flickering is my own issue, like a strobe effect (and it's not that common. Only occurs occasionally when I go to bed and it's very dark.)

I'm thinking the "static" is something common to everyone's vision, but the majority of people have simply either never really thought, or never really spoken about it. It may, however, come in different degrees of intensity.

I've been seeing 'phosphenes' for over 40 years - bright sparkling tiny spots in my vision that seem to move around randomly. It only happens occasionally, mostly when I cough or sneeze and it only lasts a few minutes normally before they fade out but very distracting when trying to visually concentrate on other things.

I put it down to some things I ingested back in the 70s (because that's when it started and was most intense) and I have sought medical advice over it which didn't reveal anything sinister going on (it's quite common apparently). I have some 'floaters' as well but overall everything is fine and I've learnt to live with my 'spots'

a reply to: Eilasvaleleyn

there is only one answer :

proffesional medical advice - eye to eye

originally posted by: Pilgrum
I've been seeing 'phosphenes' for over 40 years - bright sparkling tiny spots in my vision that seem to move around randomly. It only happens occasionally, mostly when I cough or sneeze and it only lasts a few minutes normally before they fade out but very distracting when trying to visually concentrate on other things.

Have those aswell and thought those are common to everyone ...it happens frequentlly to me (coughing, sneezing, when you stand up after laying for a while, or other "exhaustion") and I always thought its the same as "seeing stars" when you get hit in the face in a brawl^^. Never got irritated by them though as it only lasts for a few seconds.

Funny enough I think I also have the static overlay the OP describes ...but I never thought about it and it was just normal for me. But then again I have -3 dioptrin and should wear glasses (but dont do most of the time) so I cant focus on details anyway and maybe never got distracted of it because of that.

Another thing I would like to say is ...guys - only because someone asks if others share very personal experiences dont instantly expect the worst and advice them to go to a doctor (brain tumor?! ...pls calm down xD). As the OP already said -we do not have reference points to even describe this (try to describe colors to a blind person ...its just not possible / As a side note and somewhat offtopic - I thought this was pretty interessting, a photo of a black/blue dress was percieved in different colors 57% saw black/blue, 30% saw white/yellow and 13% saw brown/blue or a combination of the colours )

a reply to: Eilasvaleleyn

My friend, I have been experiencing what you describe for about a year and half now.

I was sitting outside having a cig as I was looking at the top of the fence I noticed a rippling effect outlining the fence. It looked like the heat wave you see coming off the road on hot day so I just shrugged it off thinking it was that I was seeing outlining the fence because it was a warm day.

The next time I went out for a cig it turned abit overcast as I focused on the fence I couldn't see this ripple until I didn't focus on trying to see the ripple I just kind of stared off into past the fence but ofcourse still having the top of the fence in my view I started seeing the ripple again. I then tried this with a plum tree that's in my backyard and there it was the ripple outlining the tree. If I could describe it like I was almost looking at the aura of the tree or what ever object I tried it with.

Now its been a while since I first noticed this it's come to the point where I don't need too 'focus past' the object to see it. I can just look at the object normally and the ripple outline is there.

It's a very hard thing to describe in words with out using words like energy or aura because if anyone was to assume or think what they look like it would be as what you and I described.

P.s I have those eye floaties and what we are describing is not those.

a reply to: Eilasvaleleyn
If your monitor settings are wrong, you might be seeing this. Being too bright can cause it. There are other, more advanced settings, that maybe someone else can help you with.

As for seeing it 'just when looking at the walls of your room', if you haven't just before been looking at a very bright light or direct sunlight and then come inside, you should see an eye doctor.



Anti-glare lenses might help in the meantime.

a reply to: Eilasvaleleyn

Regardless of what it is, I think it's the same thing. What I see is translucent--but I can see it more clearly if I focus on it. I think it makes sense that we don't see the exact same thing since perception varies so it is likely people would view it in different fashions. But since I have observed what I see for a long time, objectively, I have noticed many things and have concluded that it isn't a hallucination of any sort. I can only surmise that what I am seeing exists. Not that that means much since I don't really know what the use of seeing it is. But there you have it, I guess.

a reply to: justneo

That's because it IS energy. Like seriously. Did you see it as a kid, too? If it's just a recent development, you need to get your eyes checked out for sure to rule out things like brain tumors.

a reply to: GreenGunther

What do you mean? Explain please. I'm curious as to what you mean by that.

Sounds like what is called an ocular migraine. I get them too. Mostly harmless, though if it occurs while driving it could be problematic.

Some conceptual images included here:
www.leeeyecenter.com...

originally posted by: Phage
Sounds like what is called an ocular migraine. I get them too. Mostly harmless, though if it occurs while driving it could be problematic.

www.leeeyecenter.com...

When I have an ocular migraine, it is followed by a regular migraine. So I wouldn't say they are mostly harmless; at least in my case, an ocular migraine is a warning to get somewhere where I can lay down.

However, though it was once believed that this phenomenon is related to ocular migraine, it has been discovered to not be the same and does not respond to the same medications, which would seem to indicate a different mechanism is in play here.

Wiki About Visual Snow

"Little is known about this rare condition, and it has conventionally been regarded as a variant of migraine aura—though recent research shows this is not the case. Visual snow is now regarded as a unique syndrome—usually presenting with other symptoms, such as persistent afterimages, photophobia, enhanced blue field entoptic phenomenon and tinnitus."

Here is someone apparently researching this phenomenon

The next phase of visual snow research will begin in early 2015 in London, England and Munich, Germany. If you have visual snow syndrome and would like to be contacted to possibly participate in the study, please email Prof. Goadsby and Dr. Schankin [see web site for address].

edit on 9-1-2016 by OuttaHere because: A few typos

a reply to: OuttaHere

Yes, that is EXACTLY what I am talking about. I wish I could give you more than one star. The animation is a bit more "intense" than what it's like to actually see it, but it definitely shows what I see.

a reply to: Phage

That seems about right if we're talking about the black star effect. Like the image on the left, but with the spikes moving in and out, and spinning. I've only ever noticed it in the sort of light conditions you have right before dawn. I'd assumed that it was caused by my blind spots since it was present in both eyes, but perhaps it wasn't the case.

a reply to: OuttaHere

I'm surprised to read that is has it's own name - visual snow - and that it's rare! I honestly thought that most people would have it.

a reply to: kaelci

I was surprised, too, I was expecting it to be a near-universal trait that most people had just never payed any attention to. Perhaps it's possible that everyone has it to some extent. As the wiki page says,

The severity or density of the "snow" differs from one person to the next;

I'd say that personally I have medium-high density, and it is permanently present rather than transitory or only occurring at certain times. As far as I can tell, it covers my entire visual field.

I get that staticy thing in a bluish tinge rather than purple like on the wiki, but it has to be really really dark. If there's barely any light, what little shape being percieved of surroundings is by an increase in the "noise". (Like an extra extra grainy and under-exposed photo.) I figure it's just being aware of how the eye senses light. Rods and cones firing "sporadically" in no regular or typical pattern. In regular light, it fills in and I don't see the noise.

If there's not enough light to see anything at all, I also get two spirals that sort of form a checkerboard pattern. Not sure if that's a perceptual hallucination or just another after image caused by biological workings. (Brain has some weird compensating mechanisms for various things when it comes to eyesight, so some aspects of it just might show up on their own when fed no input data to work with.)

I suppose if the grainy noise is still perceptable in regular light and you can somehow get hyper focused on it, I could see where it could be distracting. Perhaps the visual equivalent of tinnitus?

a reply to: pauljs75

The actual phenomenon isn't tinged purple, that's just the background color.

In my case if it's bright bright light, it's only that noticeable if I'm looking at a flat surface. Anything less than broad daylight and it's usually super obvious. Not to the extent or severity that it interferes with my day-to-day activities or anything, it just makes very small writing a bit harder to read than it should be (as the grain effect sort of obfuscates it.)

I have this too. I used to think it was just because I spent too much time infront of screens, I looked into it and it's a fairly common thing.
I don't notice it if I'm in a light environment with alot of things going on, but if it's dark or I'm looking at a large block of one colour it's really noticeable.

I know exactly what you mean. Me and an ex-girlfriend who also could see it used to refer to it as "the little dots", and could even pick out places where we could both see it more strongly like in specific rooms of certain peoples houses.

I used to know someone who could see it incredibly well and claimed to be able to make out ghostlike shapes and figures moving through it. They referred to it as visual static.

These days I refer to it as "the black static" but "visual snow" seems like as good a description as any. I could see it much clearer when I was younger, but come to think of it I could also hear all sorts of noises that apparently weren't there when I was younger. It was scary being me when I was younger now I think about it lol.

a reply to: Eilasvaleleyn

I have it too and it's really annoying because I can't ever see anything sharply - especially in low lighting. I've had it ever since I can remember, in fact, I used to kind of lull myself to sleep by staring at it on the ceiling (I even had insomnia as a child).

If I really try to analyze it, it looks like streaming particles layered over each other all whizzing about in different directions. Viewing it on a textured surface like a popcorn ceiling makes it look like the surface is alive with all of these millions of teeny tiny things.

I used to think "Holy Jeebus, I can see atomic particles!", but I think it's probably just an neuro issue. I get tracers too, quite often where I can see after image trails of my hand moving, for instance. And no, I haven't done any drugs because they say you can get tracers from that.

Kind of nice to know more people have this. The few times I mentioned it to someone they thought I was crazy or seeing floaters (I know what those are though, and this isn't them).

This is something which I had since I can remember also.

For some members, here is more of an alternative explanation and even usage:

I found out by experimentation with meditation that there is deeper levels into this phenomenon. It is can be useful when meditating and if anyone wanted to try meditation than this can help them to relax their mind and also after relaxation there are different patterns and sometimes even images or vision which manifest from this.

I have an opinion that this is related with anjana chakra or the third eye. And also I have another opinion that with appropriate meditation one could get over this by developing it and completing the process which has started in some individuals for some reason.