Visual snow, as described in a paper published in Neurology, “is a recently identified neurologic condition consisting of a constant positive visual disturbance described as uncountable tiny dots over the entire visual field.”
Patients describe it as like seeing a TV static image everywhere they look, and it can be highly disabling for those who have it as a chronic condition. It is distinct from migraine aura, but migraineurs can also suffer from visual snow(VS). The trouble is, sufferers often have perfectly normal eye tests, and can have a hard time persuading their doctors that this is not something they are making up.
Francesca Puledda, MD, of King’s College in London, England, and her colleagues conducted a web-based study to validate their criteria for visual snow syndrome (VSS). In the study, 1,174 people with self-reported symptoms responded, 70 of whom were identified as having hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD).
To read more about this study and VSS:
MedPage Today: “Visual Snow is Real”
The actual study in Neurology: “VSS: a clinical and phenotypical description of 1,100 cases”
An article on the subject on the National Organization for Rare Disorders site: “VSS”
Monash University in Australia is also researching the syndrome: “Visual snow: Understanding the neurological condition”
The MedPage Today article quotes Dr. Puledda as saying,”It is our hope that these kinds of studies will aid the recognition of VS, and bring under the spotlight a disorder which is widely distributed around the world but for which treatment is still lacking.”
Click here to read more useful articles:
- How to Fall Asleep
- Tips for College Freshmen Dealing with Anxiety
- Mindfulness meditation “super-effective” as front line for depression and anxiety
- From Epidemiology to Humor: Coronavirus Resources
