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Are you seeing flashing lights and dots? This could be down to a number of things, including a condition called Visual Snow Syndrome. Express.co.uk chatted to All About Vision’s medical reviewer Dr. Shane Kannarr to find out everything you need to know about Visual Snow Syndrome.
Although ‘visual snow’ sounds pleasant, it’s a condition that can be highly disabling.
Not much research has been done on Visual Snow Syndrome, but it’s known that two-thirds of people who experience it also develop frequent migraines.
Visual Snow Syndrome is rare with only three percent of the population experiencing it, but it’s crippling.
Seeing flashing lights and dots could be a part of the condition, but it also has other symptoms.
The three symptoms of Visual Snow Syndrome
Visual phenomena
According to Dr Shane, Visual Snow “clouds people’s vision with a thick haze of grainy dots”.
He said: “Sufferers tend to see flashing lights, flickering dots and static which affects the way they see and there’s no relief, not even when they close their eyes.”
This visual phenomena is the main clinical feature of Visual Snow.
It’s typically black and white but it can also be coloured, flashing or transparent.
Other visual symptoms
Patients can also experience palinopsia, photophobia, nyctalopia or entoptic phenomena.
Palinopsia is where you see an image even after looking away, with the word coming from the Greek for ‘seeing’ and ‘again’.
Photophobia is the fear of light or light sensitivity, while nyctalopia is the inability to see well at night or in poor light.
Entoptic phenomena is when visual perceptions come from within the eye rather than the outside world.
According to the National Organisation of Rare Diseases, at least 75 percent of individuals with Visual Snow have at least three of these four ancillary visual phenomena.
Non-visual symptoms
The condition also causes many other debilitating non-visual symptoms, like muscular pain, tinnitus and symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Tinnitus is extremely frequent in patients with visual snow, with up to three-quarters of patients experiencing the symptom.
Some people get tremors and fatigue alongside these symptoms.
How to treat Visual Snow
Visual Snow Syndrome isn’t fully recognised by the medical community yet.
Dr Shane said: “Neurologists are calling for greater awareness so sufferers can get the right treatment to help them see better, while improving their quality of life.
“Visual snow syndrome is unlikely to go away on its own, and could get worse impacting your eyesight, so it’s best to catch this condition early to avoid any irreversible damage.
“There are a few medications that may be helpful in managing some of the symptoms including antidepressants and nerve pain medication.”
While little is known about the cure, some mild lifestyle changes could also help reduce symptoms by simply improving your overall health.
The expert advised: “Try reducing screen time, keeping fit, eating a healthy diet and prioritising a good night’s sleep.
“You could also try wearing tinted glasses, some experts have suggested that shading their eyes from bright light can reduce the intensity of the condition.”
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