I've been noticing a lot of misinformation about visual snow syndrome (vss) around Tumblr/TikTok so I wanted to compile a more accurate list of symptoms and other things related to it. I'm not a doctor or studying it in any degree, but I've been diagnosed with visual snow syndrome since I was around thirteen and the process was so filled with medical abuse that it makes me genuinely upset to people spread misinfo about it.
The first thing I want to address is what most people think of when they think of visual snow syndrome: visual snow. Despite popular belief, this is not the only symptom of the disorder. Saying you have vss because you see visual snow is inherently wrong and you need to further educate yourself. The way most images present it is as this:
However, this is incorrect. The static rarely presents itself as still and "normal" as this. It will move around, there will be flashing colors, and everything will appear more saturated, as pictured below.
Because of the flashing lights, movement, and saturation that comes with visual snow syndrome, it can result in chronic migraines, eyestrain, and anxiety. Some people with visual snow syndrome have side effects of depression, but this is more rare. The issue arises when Tumblr or TikTok dumb it down to "Static vision disorder! I have visual snow because I see it in the dark!" Seeing visual snow in the dark is very average, as our eyes are not built to see in full darkness. If you look directly into the sun and your eyes hurt, do you ask yourself if this is because your body has something wrong with it and not because you weren't intended to look directly at the sun? VSS can result in: - Seeing "snow/static" even when your eyes are closed or when it is dark, potentially getting worse when it is dark, sunny, or you're in artifical lighting. - Seeing objects after you've looked away from them (palinopsia) - Being sensitive to light - Having difficulty seeing at night - Seeing images with your eyes closed - Tinnitus - Feeling anxious, depressed, or irritable - Brain fog or trouble concentrating - Insomnia - Migraines with aura - Dizziness or nausea - Depersonalization - Vertigo (Via Cleveland Clinic)
None of these symptoms are a fun trend. I'm chronically disabled because of my vss and experience chronic migraines. There is very little research being done on it, so having a diagnosis rarely results in benefits. Many people idagnosed with visual snow are told that it will "go away" but it is just as likely that it will worsen or not go away at all. The disorder isn't simply "Seeing snow" or "Seeing snow and migraines" it's many, many other things with a history of medical neglect behind them. Please research further into the disorder: Self-diagnosis is great for people who can't advocate for their own diagnosis, or simply don't want one, but with proper research. It will only hurt people with this disability if others continue to act like experts on it with little to no research.
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