The unusual case of visual snow

We were recently presented with a young man who experienced mild headaches, some ringing in the ears and a sensitivity to bright light. The following day, the patient developed what he described as white static, flickering tiny dots that clouded his entire visual field. An experience similar to looking at an old television set not quite tuned in displaying a cloudy white noise.

In addition to this static haze, the patient described further visual symptoms such as the persistence of certain images. So where he had been looking at a particular object for a period of time, the image of the object in his vision would be very slow to disappear. It would feel as if it had been temporarily burnt into his vision. 

With the patient’s optician and GP entirely bewildered by the unusual symptoms, they looked to us for assistance in diagnosing the problem. Following our own examinations, we were able to ascertain the cause and the patient was diagnosed with an extremely rare condition called visual snow.

Although a difficult condition to treat, it is possible to alleviate the symptoms caused by visual snow. We have organised special electrical testing for the patient’s retina and brain and are currently working with a neurologist to help improve his symptoms, which are fortunately quite mild.

We quickly recognised that ultimately, the patient was looking for a clear understanding of what he was experiencing for his own peace of mind and we were able to offer the support and reassurance that he needed.