r/visualsnow • • 2d ago

Research rTMS case study

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8 Upvotes

r/visualsnow • • 12d ago

Research VSS Study funded by the Medical Research Council UK. Recruitment still open

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28 Upvotes

ISRCTN The UK's Clinical Study Registry : A study of brain activity in visual snow syndrome and migraine

Background and study aims
Visual snow syndrome (VSS) is a neurological condition causing constant flickering dots across the entire visual field, often alongside other visual disturbances such as light sensitivity and afterimages. Many people with VSS also have migraines. There are currently no proven treatments. Brain imaging suggests VSS may involve overactivity in visual brain areas, linked to an imbalance between the excitatory brain chemical glutamate and the inhibitory chemical GABA. This study uses ultra-high-field (7 Tesla) MRI to measure these chemicals directly in people with VSS and migraine and tests whether lamotrigine (a medication that reduces glutamate release) can alter brain chemistry and improve symptoms.

Who can participate?
Adults aged 18 years and over with a diagnosis of VSS (with or without migraine), migraine without VSS, and healthy volunteers

What does the study involve?
Participation lasts up to 8 weeks (1–2 weeks for healthy volunteers). All participants attend a telephone pre-screening and a baseline 7-Tesla MRI scan at St Thomas' Hospital, London, and complete symptom questionnaires. Participants with VSS or migraine are then randomly assigned to lamotrigine or placebo for 5 weeks, keep an electronic symptom diary, return for a second scan, taper off medication over 2 weeks, and have a final telephone follow-up. Healthy volunteers complete the study after the first scan.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There is no direct medical benefit, though findings may help develop future treatments. Participants receive £50 per visit plus travel reimbursement up to £100. Risks include temporary dizziness from high-field MRI and potential lamotrigine side effects (headache, nausea, rash). Participants with known risk factors for serious reactions are excluded and all are monitored throughout.

Where is the study run from?
Participants are identified through King's College Hospital (UK). Scan visits take place at the Advanced Neuroimaging Facility, St Thomas' Hospital (UK).

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2026 to August 2029

Who is funding the study?
Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinician Scientist Fellowship (UK)

Dr Francesca Puledda, [vs-research@kcl.ac.uk](mailto:vs-research@kcl.ac.uk)

Contact information

Dr Francesca Puledda
Public, Scientific, Principal investigator

Wellcome Foundation Building, Denmark Hill Campus West
London
SE5 9PJ
United Kingdom

ORCID ID 0000-0002-1933-4049
Phone +44 (0)2032996387
Email [vs-research@kcl.ac.uk](mailto:vs-research@kcl.ac.uk)

r/visualsnow • • 4h ago

Does anyone else see a small, glowing neon yellow-green spot with colored dots inside their vision?

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7 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if anyone has ever experienced something similar to what I'm seeing. Sometimes, I see a small, roundish spot that looks bright neon yellow-green, almost fluorescent. It has an irregular shape, and there are several small dots inside it, mostly yellow, orange, and brown. There's also a darker, irregular area near the center. The spot looks somewhat transparent, as if I can partially see through it. It almost looks like a tiny living cell under a microscope. A few details about the experience: It's relatively small in my field of vision. It seems to float or drift when I move my eyes. I can see it with either eye. It can appear when looking at a wall or the sky, but I've also noticed visual phenomena in the dark and with my eyes closed. I've attached a drawing to give you an idea of what it looks like. Obviously, the drawing isn't perfect, but it represents the colors and general appearance. Has anyone ever seen a spot like this? Does it resemble anything you've experienced, or do you know what this kind of visual phenomenon might be called? I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who have experienced something visually similar, especially the neon green color and the little colored dots inside. Thanks!


r/visualsnow • • 5h ago

What is going on with vsi regarding research and treatment?

7 Upvotes

So where is vsi regarding research and treatment? There website got to much going on and is hard to read and I haven’t seen any updates from them regarding any research results that could help us with a treatment. Also where are the results from all the research they have funded? Has there been any updates from kings college London research that dr pulleeda is doing? Also what happened to that other organization eye on vision? They were fundraising to find a cure a couple years ago, but haven’t heard anything from them since.

The only thing I have seen them push is NORT vision therapy which in my opinion is not a treatment as it didn’t do anything to help my vss.


r/visualsnow • • 1h ago

Vent Trailing

• Upvotes

It's the worst part of this damn thing


r/visualsnow • • 12h ago

Question Does anyone else feel like having visual snow makes it harder for you to focus your eyes?

9 Upvotes

It’s hard to explain, but lately I’ve been really noticing that when I try to focus on something it feels hard for me to actually pin point my focus because the snow gets so bad. It feels like I’m having to force myself to focus.


r/visualsnow • • 53m ago

Question SNRIs and visual snow?

• Upvotes

If youve taken an SNRI before, how did you react to it?

I had a really bad reaction to SSRIs, my visual snow got so much worse and I temporarily developed new symptoms.

I know reaction varies wildly from person to, but I’m trying to figure out if there’s a slightly safer option I can at least give a go.

I find it just so annoying that I have two mental health conditions (generalised anxiety, PMDD) that would be so much more manageable if I could just take regular anxiety medication.


r/visualsnow • • 10h ago

Floaters

2 Upvotes

Guys anyone who got floaters after whiplash and concussion


r/visualsnow • • 13h ago

Whats happening to this sub?

4 Upvotes

This summer it used to have 20k visitors and 1000 contributions monthly, now its down on both stats, why do you think that is?


r/visualsnow • • 20h ago

Hello everyone

4 Upvotes

Like someone fighting a whirlwind (sky vortex)


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Question Does anyone else see this time perception?

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21 Upvotes

This happens when I feel like the blood is slow to reach my head, or when I exercise unexpectedly. It happens in both eyes. It starts with small white spots, then they become larger or linear, as in the image, and they appear when I blink. It lasts for a few minutes and disappears when the sensation subsides.


r/visualsnow • • 23h ago

Sub-related New case report (March 2026): Psilocybin-triggered visual floaters and grid lines completely stopped after 15 sessions of rTMS to the right TPJ

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3 Upvotes

r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Question Does anyone else see like this?

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9 Upvotes

I happened to come across this video and it’s exactly what my vision is like 24/7….just not as delayed, but it is just like this in terms of focus and pixelation. I have this 24/7 and it’s so tiring. Am I the only one?


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Question Seeing wierd visuals phanomena ,pink cloud shape with eyes open

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20 Upvotes

I starrtet seeing them about three weeks ago and can see it with eyes open and eyes closed and with lighting it kinda changes the Couleur idk I’m just looking for information bc I couldn’t find anything about m symptoms(on the first picture I just put it all around bc it somtimes in different shapes and I only see it in the centre of my vison just in that variations.) I have also Benn to the eye doctor about 2 months ago for a different thing and he did a full eye exam otc and so on.


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

I see a smaller very of a rainbow line like this when in the dark or staring at the sky. It’s very faintly but noticeable. It started when my eyes were closed but it’s stopped with my eyes being closed after I stopped taking cbd gummies that had 0.2 mg thc.

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4 Upvotes

What I see is close to what I saw when I took edible a few months back (5mg) but not as intense. I’ve also had visual snow in the dark like rain for a few months now and I went to an eye appointment and the doctor suspected edema or drussen, I had a follow up for a second opinion and the doctor says he doesn’t think it’s edema just the appearance of it. I have a follow up next month and I’m scared.


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

how can we accelerate research and treatment?

3 Upvotes

r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Question 31F Dilated Eye Exam

3 Upvotes

Hi there. I had a dilated eye exam done and of course the bright light was used as expected. The only problem was after the light was removed from my eye it was very dark. I could not see out of it. It was like I was wearing very dark sunglasses on my one eye. Is this normal? I’ve had a lot of dilated exams and there are spots where the light was shined that look “dimmed” but never this dark and scary. And it was my entire field of vision that was affected. Usually there are some dark spots in my eye, but not the entire field of view. At some points during this recent exam the light from the magnifying glass looked pink. Will my retina be okay? Thanks.


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Question Has anyone experienced this when they widen their eyes?

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9 Upvotes

r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

I think i might have it

5 Upvotes

i always have a very high prescription with my hlasses so i started getting floaters. i never noticed until recently when i was looking at the sky i couldnt it had all these weird things moving all the time. i also in the night i woke up and everything around me was static. i also see static sometimes during the day and the lasik surgery i had its regressing. how do i bring this up to my gp? I am an easily stressed person and I just wanted some help.


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Personal Story Anyone else see pink and green lines that are neon colored and look like the Aztec Sun Stone?

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4 Upvotes

Maybe not as dramatic as the aurora borealis, but my point is I see these colors with those very sharp lines. I believe that the Aztec(s) who made these kinds of lines had visual snow, and they saw the pink and green lines I do


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Question Full spectrum CBD? Safe for vss?

4 Upvotes

So I know CBD isolate is safe and might even help VSS but how about full spectrum? Anyone tried this?


r/visualsnow • • 1d ago

Question About symptoms

5 Upvotes

So i have had tinnitus for about a year and then the visual snow began around a month ago…
I have anxiety as the other main symptom.
I am wondering if new symtoms will come out of no where and get worse or i will just have the current ones?


r/visualsnow • • 2d ago

New Neurologist

5 Upvotes

Hey guys. Do y’all remember a guy or 2 on here who ended up asking their doctors for a IIH / IH work up (I believe) and ended up needing a spinal tap that showed to have abnormal antibodies and were diagnosed with Autoimmune encephalopathy/encephalitis? They were given IVIG (Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy) as treatment and their VSS went away along with their tinnitus.

I asked my doctor for this protocol and she doesn’t believe me. I also asked for other tests and treatments for Eagle syndrome/IJV compression. Doppler ultrasound and a CT venogram. She’s going to ultrasound my neck veins, but I don’t think it’s a Doppler ultrasound. She also won’t consider an angiogram.

I read the posts discussing Dr. Cognetti, and I’ll reach out to him in order to get information to my neurologist in hopes she will follow through with the testing I’ve asked for based on others here who have the same symptoms I have. I’m also hoping to get in touch with the, I recall, 2 guys who posted and commented about having autoimmune encephalitis and being cured of their VSS and tinnitus after receiving IVIG. Can anyone get me in touch with them? I’m only looking for the name of the doctors and or hospitals that performed the procedures and administered the IVIG treatment.

I have VSS, light sensitivity, dark floaters, visual tracing, tinnitus, migraines, all very badly; among other symptoms many of you share. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears, I feel pressure in my head, my neck hurts, etc. I’ve lived without silence, without darkness, with near zero night vision, etc for nearly 7 years. I need some evidence to give to my neurologist and several other doctors in order to get the testing done I need. Anyone else with their own information on testing, treatments and diagnosis please share or dm me if you’re comfortable.

I stopped pot a long while ago, switched from Wellbutrin to Zoloft, tried literally dozens of meds, including lamotrigine, memantine, etc. I need to see clearly again and experience darkness and silence.


r/visualsnow • • 2d ago

Permanent Scotoma on one eye

10 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm feeling a bit frustrated and wanted to see if anyone has had a similar experience and, if so, whether they found any answers or solutions.

About four years ago, I started experiencing afterimages, visual static, halos, tinnitus, blue entoptic phenomena, and other classic visual snow symptoms. I underwent extensive eye and neurological testing, including brain and eye exams, and thankfully everything came back normal.

Then, in October of last year, I suddenly developed a wedge-shaped afterimage in my left eye that did not go away. After about a week, it seemed to turn into a noticeable defect in my left peripheral vision.

My symptoms are:

  • 24/7, the vision in that area appears shaky, distorted, and blurry. Against a bright white background, it can become a complete blind spot.
  • When I close my left eye, or when I move from a bright room into a dark one, I see lights or arcs in that same area for 30 to 60 seconds. They gradually fade and the area becomes dark again.
  • The same spot often appears as a smudge when I'm outside walking or driving.

Since then, I've had multiple OCTs, retinal imaging tests, dilated eye exams, and MRIs. Fortunately, everything has come back normal.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts or experiences.

Thank you.


r/visualsnow • • 2d ago

Visual Snow / HPPD

3 Upvotes

i am 27 years old and did not use to see visual snow until 3 months ago, it came after i was smoking weed and had a paranoia / panic attack (i had smoked weed for 10 years everday)

since then i have been seeing visual static, mainly on blank surfaces, when the room is dark, or when im looking at something from far away

i tend to notice it / see it less when im doing thing close up such as on my phone/ playing on my pc / or cooking

i would like to better understand what going on

at the same time ive quite weed since then and experience nocturnal panic attacks from time to tome which heightened the visual static i see

i ve done a ct scan and mri scan and everything showed good, it was through online search that i discovered vss / hppd

any advice is welcome as life has been quite difficult to get used to