DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is not backed by any medical authority whatsoever, it is merely the personal opinions, observations and anecdotal experiences of
myself (Cobalt) and other users on this forum. This FAQ does not constitute diagnostic criteria for Visual Snow. Anyone experiencing Visual Snow or related
symptoms should be examined by the appropriate medical proffesionals to rule out other conditions and recieve proffesional advice.
What is Visual Snow?
A visual disturbance whereby the sufferer sees lots of small bright and dark dots flickering across their entire visual field, like a layer of T.V. static.
Is Visual Snow a symptom of another condition?
Visual snow is thought to be a symptom of an underlying disorder which currently has no name attached to it. This is because there is a very strong correlation between visual snow and neurological phenomena such as tinnitus and after-images, and other visual disturbances such as scotoma. This implies these are likely to be effects of one "condition". This can be best referred to as "Visual Snow Syndrome" (VSS) but many just use the acronym "VS" to refer to all the symptoms together.
Does Visual Snow get worse?
For some, it can do. This is usually a very slow and gradual process happening over a period of months or even years, though cases of sudden "spikes" in visual symptoms are not unheard of. For others, VS can stay at the same level for years or more, perhaps never changing, for others still, symptoms might lessen over time.
Does Visual Snow lead to blindness?
No, nobody has yet gone permanently blind from visual snow. The condition can be progressive and more severe visual disturbances can develop over time, but there are no recorded cases of visual snow resulting in permanent blindness. However, there have been rare instances of Visual Snow sufferers experiencing temporary blindless, of varying duration and severity - this is also linked to migraine aura symptoms and scotoma.
Is Visual Snow a sign of brain tumour?
No, there is no correlation between VS and brain tumours at all.
Is VS a sign of eye damage?
No, the condition is almost certainly neurological in nature, and unrelated to the physical health of the eye itself.
Can I still drive with Visual Snow?
If it does not interfere with your vision to the point where you feel it impedes safe driving, then there is no reason why you cannot drive with VS. However if you are involved in an accident and your visual disturbances are on your medical record, this many be used against you in legal proceedings. Always consult a medical proffesional before deciding to drive with visual snow.
What symptoms go along side the static itself?
Many visual snow sufferers also experience: Tinnitus, Blue Field Entoptic Phenomenon (including on backgrounds other than a blue sky), Increased After-images/Palinopsia, Halos, Starbursts, Scotoma, Migraine-aura-esque visual disturbances.
Less commonly visual snow sufferers experience: Nausea, Vertigo, Problems with contrast, Problems adapting to different light conditions, Poor night vision.
Depression and Anxiety are also experienced by some visual snow sufferers.
Is there a cure?
Some people have had their symptoms reduced or cured through various different means, sometimes medications such as anti-convulsants have reduced symptoms, however sometimes a medication that improves one sufferers symptoms will have no effect on the symptoms of another sufferer, or even make them worse. Most medications used to try to treat VS besides can have very serious side-effects, and should probably only be considered in the case of very severe visual disturbance.
Some sufferers have reported improvement through things such as dietary changes, chiropractics or improving general health.
Can Visual Snow get better on its own?
It has been known to improve or even disappear apparently spontaneously in some sufferers, however this appears to be very rare.
Is Visual Snow an official diagnosis?
No, it is not an official term, the condition is not medically recognised as yet, so the term "Visual Snow" is simply one made up by sufferers to describe it based on its primary symptom, in the absence of an official medical term. Many sufferers receive diagnosis of (atypical) acephalgic migraine, persistent migraine aura (without infarction) or other such ambiguous diagnoses whose scope could potentially cover visual snow.
Does Visual Snow show up on any sort of scan?
No, there is nothing consistent to suggest any distinct anomalies on any sort of scan that correlate with visual snow. No anomalies are consistently found in visual snow sufferers either by ophthalmic exam, MRI or EEG. However, much like most migraine sufferers, sometimes unexplained anomalies do appear on scans of visual snow sufferers.
Is there anything a doctor can do?
To solve the condition, probably not, however other potential conditions, such as eye damage or MS, can be ruled out, by referral to ophthalmologist, and then neurologist for an MRI.
Will a doctor believe me, since the condition is unobservable?
Do not expect a great deal of sympathy from the medical profession. However there are the odd one or two good doctors, and you should at least be able to get a referral, just be sure you make it clear that you are not just seeing floaters, and that it is a 24/7 persistent visual disturbance.
Should I mention these forums to demonstrate that I am not just a hypochondriac, as there are many others with the same condition?
Probably not, as any mention of the internet tends to cause doctors to start disregarding things a patient says, seeing them as a self-diagnosing hypochondriac.
What is Visual Snow?
A visual disturbance whereby the sufferer sees lots of small bright and dark dots flickering across their entire visual field, like a layer of T.V. static.
Is Visual Snow a symptom of another condition?
Visual snow is thought to be a symptom of an underlying disorder which currently has no name attached to it. This is because there is a very strong correlation between visual snow and neurological phenomena such as tinnitus and after-images, and other visual disturbances such as scotoma. This implies these are likely to be effects of one "condition". This can be best referred to as "Visual Snow Syndrome" (VSS) but many just use the acronym "VS" to refer to all the symptoms together.
Does Visual Snow get worse?
For some, it can do. This is usually a very slow and gradual process happening over a period of months or even years, though cases of sudden "spikes" in visual symptoms are not unheard of. For others, VS can stay at the same level for years or more, perhaps never changing, for others still, symptoms might lessen over time.
Does Visual Snow lead to blindness?
No, nobody has yet gone permanently blind from visual snow. The condition can be progressive and more severe visual disturbances can develop over time, but there are no recorded cases of visual snow resulting in permanent blindness. However, there have been rare instances of Visual Snow sufferers experiencing temporary blindless, of varying duration and severity - this is also linked to migraine aura symptoms and scotoma.
Is Visual Snow a sign of brain tumour?
No, there is no correlation between VS and brain tumours at all.
Is VS a sign of eye damage?
No, the condition is almost certainly neurological in nature, and unrelated to the physical health of the eye itself.
Can I still drive with Visual Snow?
If it does not interfere with your vision to the point where you feel it impedes safe driving, then there is no reason why you cannot drive with VS. However if you are involved in an accident and your visual disturbances are on your medical record, this many be used against you in legal proceedings. Always consult a medical proffesional before deciding to drive with visual snow.
What symptoms go along side the static itself?
Many visual snow sufferers also experience: Tinnitus, Blue Field Entoptic Phenomenon (including on backgrounds other than a blue sky), Increased After-images/Palinopsia, Halos, Starbursts, Scotoma, Migraine-aura-esque visual disturbances.
Less commonly visual snow sufferers experience: Nausea, Vertigo, Problems with contrast, Problems adapting to different light conditions, Poor night vision.
Depression and Anxiety are also experienced by some visual snow sufferers.
Is there a cure?
Some people have had their symptoms reduced or cured through various different means, sometimes medications such as anti-convulsants have reduced symptoms, however sometimes a medication that improves one sufferers symptoms will have no effect on the symptoms of another sufferer, or even make them worse. Most medications used to try to treat VS besides can have very serious side-effects, and should probably only be considered in the case of very severe visual disturbance.
Some sufferers have reported improvement through things such as dietary changes, chiropractics or improving general health.
Can Visual Snow get better on its own?
It has been known to improve or even disappear apparently spontaneously in some sufferers, however this appears to be very rare.
Is Visual Snow an official diagnosis?
No, it is not an official term, the condition is not medically recognised as yet, so the term "Visual Snow" is simply one made up by sufferers to describe it based on its primary symptom, in the absence of an official medical term. Many sufferers receive diagnosis of (atypical) acephalgic migraine, persistent migraine aura (without infarction) or other such ambiguous diagnoses whose scope could potentially cover visual snow.
Does Visual Snow show up on any sort of scan?
No, there is nothing consistent to suggest any distinct anomalies on any sort of scan that correlate with visual snow. No anomalies are consistently found in visual snow sufferers either by ophthalmic exam, MRI or EEG. However, much like most migraine sufferers, sometimes unexplained anomalies do appear on scans of visual snow sufferers.
Is there anything a doctor can do?
To solve the condition, probably not, however other potential conditions, such as eye damage or MS, can be ruled out, by referral to ophthalmologist, and then neurologist for an MRI.
Will a doctor believe me, since the condition is unobservable?
Do not expect a great deal of sympathy from the medical profession. However there are the odd one or two good doctors, and you should at least be able to get a referral, just be sure you make it clear that you are not just seeing floaters, and that it is a 24/7 persistent visual disturbance.
Should I mention these forums to demonstrate that I am not just a hypochondriac, as there are many others with the same condition?
Probably not, as any mention of the internet tends to cause doctors to start disregarding things a patient says, seeing them as a self-diagnosing hypochondriac.
