Poll: Do You Experience Visual Snow?

[missingsilence]

I'm starting a poll to get an idea of how many tinnitus sufferers also experience visual snow as I have read the two conditions often occur simultaneously.

 

[Tinker Bell]

Are eye floaters considered visual snow? Some articles suggest they are the same and some say otherwise. Eye floaters are very common, regardless of whether someone has tinnitus.

 

[light rain]

Are eye floaters considered visual snow? Some articles suggest they are the same and some say otherwise. Eye floaters are very common, regardless of whether someone has tinnitus.

Not generally. VS is like static on old TV sets. Floaters can be observed by eye doctors - VS can't.

 

[missingsilence]

I'd would not classify floaters as visual snow, visual snow is neurological (if I understand it correctly) and looks like static or grainy vision or like bright spots. I notice both VS and floaters (but I had floaters before the tinnitus and VS).

 

[Elinor]

Before I vote, what is the norm? Because in darker settings or if I just put my attention to it my vision is a little "snowy", but my impression was that everyone has this. So how much noise becomes visual snow syndrome?

 

[butterfly75]

I see visual snow all of the time but I always thought it was normal. I've had it since I can first remember. It's stronger in the dark. It looks like colourful TV static.

 

[Elinor]

I see visual snow all of the time but I always thought it was normal. I've had it since I can first remember. It's stronger in the dark. It looks like colourful TV static.

Same here, I assumed it was normal. It's probably just like tinnitus, some are unaware that they have it. Others have it mild and are unbothered, and some have moderate or severe.

 

[butterfly75]

Same here, I assumed it was normal. It's probably just like tinnitus, some are unaware that they have it. Others have it mild and are unbothered, and some have moderate or severe.

Yeah, I always thought everyone had it. And I kind of wish I was one of those people who never even found out they have tinnitus, but I guess it's better if you know so you can try to prevent further damage so it doesn't get worse.

 

[Samir]

Visual snow is to eye doctors what tinnitus is to ear doctors: an enigma! Similarly, eye floaters are to eye doctors what damaged hair cells are to ear doctors. The difference being that eye doctors can see eye floaters while ear doctors can't see damaged hair cells.

Eye floaters are mostly proteins that float inside the vitreous fluid of the eye and cast shadows on the retina. They are the result of the aging process and the wear and tear on the eyes.

If you have sudden onset of floaters, or they increase in numbers suddenly, and more importantly if you get light flashes, then you should have your eyes checked as soon as possible. You could be having a retinal tear.

Both tinnitus and visual snow are brain related problems. For more reading on tinnitus and visual snow, you may want to have a look at this article:

http://journals.lww.com/thehearingj...Visual_Snow_May_Tell_Us_About_Tinnitus.9.aspx

The brain is like a powerful computer. It receives input from eyes and ears, among other sensors. In order to understand visual snow and tinnitus better, we need to better understand the brain.

We are perhaps being treated by the wrong doctors. We need to go to the brain doctors. But I'm afraid brain doctors can't do much for us anyway.

With the current state of things, the idea is that restoring sensory input will restore normal brain function. That may be true with tinnitus. We shall see, after a few human hearing restoration trials. But I'm not sure though what visual snow has to do with the eyes.

The only thing we know for sure is that we know very little about the brain.

 

[linearb]

My visual snow onset was what triggered me to really notice my tinnitus, though it may have already been present.

I'd say I have fairly severe visual snow, probably significantly more severe than my tinnitus as far as interfering with visual acuity, but it does not tend to bother me and I actually rarely think about it unless I'm reading threads like this, or meditating. (After about 3-5 minutes of open-eyed meditation, the visual snow often reaches a terrific intensity; I believe my pupils dilate at the same time, and thus suspect it reflects a neurological change of some kind related to hormone or transmitter levels).

 

[maltese]

My visual snow onset was what triggered me to really notice my tinnitus, though it may have already been present.

I'd say I have fairly severe visual snow, probably significantly more severe than my tinnitus as far as interfering with visual acuity, but it does not tend to bother me and I actually rarely think about it unless I'm reading threads like this, or meditating. (After about 3-5 minutes of open-eyed meditation, the visual snow often reaches a terrific intensity; I believe my pupils dilate at the same time, and thus suspect it reflects a neurological change of some kind related to hormone or transmitter levels).

This pretty much sums my experience.

I'm reluctant to judge the severity of my VS though. I don't know what 'severe' looks like.

I can see my VS over everything no matter of texture, patterns, brightness.

I've never thought about it before I visited Tinnitus Talk heh. I've never been annoyed, distracted or scared because of it. It just is. I don't see it. Perfect habituation.

 

[linearb]

I've never thought about it before I visited Tinnitus Talk heh. I've never been anoyed, distracted or scared because of it. It just is. I don't see it. Perfect habituation.

It drove me nuts for the better part of a year and then I mostly forgot about it.

 

[JL0389]

Hi

Just wondering if anybody here has tinnitus as a result of Visual Snow syndrome?

I believe this is the cause of mine although I'm unsure how long I've experienced VS, it's very possible I've always had it!

For those unsure, visual snow is where you see static in your field of vision similar to that of a TV. Other symptoms are trails, after images, halos and starburst around lights, blue field entropic phenomenon and the feeling of needing to pop your ears as though you're on an aeroplane.

I think I've read about VS on Tinnitus Talk in the past but not sure how recent the threads were.

I first noticed VS 5 years ago but not sure if that's when it started or not.

Thanks!