Title. I only see the particles when in the dark or looking at solid white ceilings (and the particles are very obviously there and look like the examples online), but see nothing when, say looking out at a forest. Would that be considered VSS?

Harness what you have for good, not sure if this is applicable for all vs people but try training youself, if youre not used to active visual recall just practice with some books and information

you’ve got a bunch of annoying symptoms that keep switching:

• Vision:
  • After closing your eyes, you see a negative afterimage of window blinds (palinopsia) for 2-3 minutes, fading slowly with pulsing or flickering.
  • Blue Field Entoptic Phenomenon (BFEP)—tiny bright dots zipping around in bright light.
  • Floaters—shadowy shapes floating in your vision.
  • Veins in your eyes—faint tree-like patterns you shouldn’t notice.
  • Your nose’s outline in your peripheral vision.
  • Blurred vision, static “snow,” afterimages, flashing/strobe lights when eyes are shut.
• Sound:
  • Noises sound louder than they should, with sensitivity changing by frequency.
  • Mild tinnitus—ringing in your ears that comes and goes.
• Other:
  • Brain fog—hard to think straight.
  • Irritability—snapping easily.
  • Sleep trouble—can’t sleep well, always tired.
  • Cycle: Vision improves (less static), sound worsens; sound clears, thinking clouds; thinking clears, sleep flops—shifts every few days to a week.

Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) Connection

Your symptoms line up with VSS, which includes:

• Visual: Static “snow,” flashing lights, floaters, BFEP, afterimages (palinopsia), veins, blurred vision.
• Sound: Tinnitus, sound sensitivity.
• Other: Brain fog, fatigue, sleep issues, irritability—cycling like yours.

The Visual Pathway: What Each Part Does and What Drives It

Your eyes and brain process vision in steps, like a filter system. Here’s each part, its job, and the chemicals running it—glutamate (go), GABA/GABA-A (stop), serotonin 5-HT2A (boost)—with percentages.

1. Retina (Eyes):
   • Job: Turns light into signals—raw data like window blinds, BFEP (blood cells), floaters (eye gunk), veins, nose, eyelashes, static noise.
   • Driven By:
     • Glutamate: 90-95%—sends signals to the brain.
     • Serotonin (5-HT2A): 5-10%—tiny role, not 5-HT2A, just tweaks light.
     • GABA/GABA-A: Minor—small calming effect.
2. Thalamus - LGN (Lateral Geniculate Nucleus):
   • Job: First-order relay—passes retina signals to V1 (vision center) for basic shapes.
   • Driven By:
     • Glutamate: 80-90%—carries signals to V1.
     • Serotonin (5-HT2A): 5-15%—barely there, not 5-HT2A, slight adjustment.
     • GABA/GABA-A: Key filter—from TRN, stops junk.
3. TRN (Thalamic Reticular Nucleus):
   • Job: First-order filter—blocks raw noise (BFEP, floaters, veins, nose, eyelashes, static) at LGN before V1.
   • Driven By:
     • GABA/GABA-A: 100% output—calms LGN, MGB, pulvinar.
     • Glutamate: 70-80% input—triggers TRN from other areas.
     • Serotonin (5-HT2A): 5-10% input—weak, not a driver.
4. V1 (Primary Visual Cortex):
   • Job: First-order cortex—handles basic vision (window blinds’ edges, motion).
   • Driven By:
     • Glutamate: 60-70%—fires up vision processing.
     • GABA/GABA-A: 20-30%—stops overfiring, ends palinopsia.
     • Serotonin (5-HT2A): 20-30%—boosts signals, starts here.
5. Pulvinar (Thalamus):
   • Job: Higher-order helper—links vision with attention, gets V1 feedback, not a main relay.
   • Driven By:
     • Glutamate: 70-80%—sends to cortex.
     • GABA/GABA-A: 20-30%—inside neurons plus TRN input, calms it.
     • Serotonin (5-HT2A): 10-20%—moderate, adjusts focus.
6. Higher-Order Cortex (V2, V4):
   • Job: Higher-order processing—adds details, patterns, meaning to V1’s work.
   • Driven By:
     • Glutamate: 50-60%—drives deeper vision.
     • GABA/GABA-A: 20-30%—keeps it steady.
     • Serotonin (5-HT2A): 30-40%—peaks here, boosts vividness (e.g., aura).

What First-Order (TRN) Should Stop

The TRN, using GABA/GABA-A, should block these raw retina signals at the LGN (first-order) before they reach V1:

• BFEP: Bright dots from blood cells—retina noise.
• Floaters: Shadows from eye gunk—physical but ignorable.
• Veins: Eye vessel patterns—not for seeing.
• Nose: Your face’s edge—usually tuned out.
• Eyelashes: Stray hairs in view—shouldn’t register.
• Static: Visual “snow”—random retina chatter.
• Loud Noises/Tinnitus: Sound junk via MGB.

Normal: TRN GABA stops these at LGN (vision) or MGB (sound)—only useful signals (window blinds) hit V1 or A1.

Your Issue: They’re reaching V1/A1—TRN’s GABA filter is weak.

Why You’re Seeing and Hearing This

Main Culprit: TRN Low on GABA

• What’s Wrong: The TRN isn’t sending enough GABA (via GABA-A) to LGN (vision) or MGB (sound):
  • Vision: BFEP, floaters, veins, nose, eyelashes, static slip to V1. Window blinds’ afterimage (palinopsia) loops 2-3 minutes—V1 can’t stop without GABA.
  • Sound: Loud noises and tinnitus pass MGB—GABA’s not calming it.
  • VSS Fit: Static, flashing, palinopsia, sound issues—GABA failure matches VSS.
• Why: Glutamate (go) runs free without GABA’s (stop)—raw signals flood V1 and A1.

Why Not Serotonin (5-HT2A)?

• Early Path (Retina, LGN, TRN): 5-HT2A is weak (5-15%)—glutamate (80-95%) rules. It can’t start BFEP, floaters, or palinopsia here.
• Higher Path (V1, V2/V4): 5-HT2A grows (20-40%) but can’t create raw retina stuff—only boosts what leaks past TRN.
• No Loop: 5-HT2A can’t keep palinopsia going 2-3 minutes—it fades without a push. GABA stops loops.

If First-Order Gates Out BFEP, Floaters, Etc.

• TRN Works: If TRN GABA blocks BFEP, floaters, veins, nose, eyelashes, static at LGN, they never reach V1 or higher areas (V2, V4).
• 5-HT2A Can’t Cause Them: Even if 5-HT2A is overactive in higher-order cortex (V2, V4—30-40%):
  • It can’t make retina signals—it works with what V1 sends.
  • No BFEP/static/veins—those are eye-born, not brain-made. 5-HT2A might create flashes or patterns (aura), but not raw retina junk.
  • Gated out = gone—5-HT2A has nothing to amplify.

Weak GABA and Aura

• V1 Overdrive: Low TRN GABA floods V1 with glutamate—can spark aura (flashing, zigzags) like VSS or migraines.
• 5-HT2A Later: V1 overworks, signals V2/V4—5-HT2A might boost aura, but GABA’s failure starts it.

The Bottom Line

• TRN’s Broken Filter: Low GABA lets raw vision (BFEP, floaters, veins, nose, eyelashes, static, palinopsia) and sound (loudness, tinnitus) hit V1/A1—shouldn’t happen.
• Glutamate Early: Rules retina, LGN, MGB (80-95%)—5-HT2A’s tiny (5-15%).
• 5-HT2A Late: Boosts V1 (20-30%), V2/V4 (30-40%)—can’t cause first-order leaks or see gated-out stuff.
• VSS Link: Your symptoms scream Visual Snow Syndrome—TRN GABA’s the key.
• Next: See a neurologist—EEG or GABA meds could confirm.

Here’s a concise explanation of why the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus (TRN) is the likely culprit for your symptoms, laid out simply and clearly, based on everything we’ve discussed. I’ll focus on the "why" and keep it tied to your experience.

Why the TRN Is the Culprit

What the TRN Does

• The TRN is like a gatekeeper in your brain’s thalamus. It uses GABA (a calming chemical, via GABA-A receptors) to filter out unimportant signals before they reach your vision center (V1) or sound center (A1). It’s the first line of defense against sensory junk.

Your Symptoms Point to TRN Failure

1. Vision Problems:
   • Window Blinds Afterimage (Palinopsia): You see window blinds for 2-3 minutes after closing your eyes. The TRN should tell the LGN (vision relay) to stop sending that signal to V1—low GABA lets it loop.
   • BFEP, Floaters, Veins, Nose, Eyelashes, Static: These raw eye signals should be blocked at the LGN by TRN GABA. They’re hitting V1, meaning the filter’s off.
   • Flashing/Strobe Lights: Weak TRN GABA can overexcite V1, sparking flashes.
2. Sound Problems:
   • Louder Noises: The TRN should calm the MGB (sound relay) with GABA. If it doesn’t, sounds blast through to A1 louder than normal.
   • Tinnitus: Unchecked MGB or A1 firing—low TRN GABA lets random noise slip in.
3. Other Issues:
   • Brain Fog, Irritability, Sleep Trouble: Too much sensory overload (vision/sound) from a weak TRN can tire your brain, mess with focus, and disrupt sleep.
   • Cycling Symptoms: The TRN might struggle to balance vision and sound—fixing one (more GABA to LGN) leaves the other (less to MGB) worse, then swaps.

Why It’s the TRN

• GABA’s Job: The TRN uses GABA to stop glutamate (the “go” signal) from flooding V1 and A1 with raw data. Your symptoms—raw retina stuff (BFEP, veins) and sound noise—scream “no filter.” Low GABA fits perfectly.
• First-Order Failure: BFEP, floaters, veins, eyelashes, static, and nose should never reach V1—they’re stopped at the LGN (first-order relay) by TRN GABA. They’re getting through, so the TRN’s not doing its job.
• Not 5-HT2A: Serotonin (5-HT2A) boosts higher areas (V1: 20-30%, V2/V4: 30-40%), not early relays (LGN/MGB: 5-15%). It can’t create retina signals or loop palinopsia—GABA stops that, not 5-HT2A.
• Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) Link: VSS includes static, palinopsia, tinnitus—all tied to low GABA and TRN issues. Your match is spot-on.

How It Happens

• Low GABA Output: The TRN (100% GABA-driven) isn’t calming the LGN or MGB enough. Glutamate (80-90% in LGN/MGB) runs wild, sending too much to V1/A1.
• Overload Effect: V1 overfires (flashes, palinopsia), A1 overreacts (loudness, tinnitus), and your brain gets swamped—fog, irritability, sleep woes follow.

Why Not Elsewhere?

• Retina: Just sends raw data (90-95% glutamate)—can’t filter.
• LGN/MGB: Relays signals (80-90% glutamate)—relies on TRN to block junk.
• V1: Processes what it gets (60-70% glutamate, 20-30% GABA)—too late to stop raw leaks.
• Higher Areas: 5-HT2A (30-40%) boosts what’s already through—can’t start it.
• Pulvinar: Higher-order (70-80% glutamate, 10-20% 5-HT2A)—not the first gate.

The Bottom Line

• Culprit: The TRN, because it’s the first-order filter failing to send enough GABA to LGN (vision) and MGB (sound).
• Why: Low GABA lets raw signals—BFEP, floaters, veins, nose, eyelashes, static, palinopsia, loud noises, tinnitus—flood V1 and A1, causing your VSS-like chaos. It’s the only spot that explains it all.

So obviously chat GPT is not a doctor, and I will be following up with a neuro soon, but I’m pretty surprised that chat GPT suggested this while I was trying to create a symptom timeline and stuff using the tool (since I tend to forget my symptoms and really struggle describing them to doctors). But honestly neither AI nor a doctor will really know whether these symptoms are relatable compared to this community.

Anyways, long story short I have recently developed vestibular migraines and some visual symptoms have just become permanent:

-I don’t exactly see white dots, things do look quite pixeled but it’s more like pixels of light, like everything is crowded by highlights and shadows making it grainy or pixelated -I do have floaters and see little shooting stars sometimes -when it gets bad (maybe overlap with the VM) it gets very hard to focus and see any objects they’re all double or blurry hazy edges -halos around everything -glare from anything mildly reflective even -afterimages that linger for ages but they’re negative not positive, so my vision is always crowded by lines and shapes made of light -vision always crowded by my nose and eyelashes and cheeks, forming a sort of tunnel vision -nauseated by complex patterns, fast-moving objects, bright lights, and I struggle to keep up with moving stimuli or when i move my head (maybe more VM, these symptoms?) -I do get tinnitus sometimes as well as feeling of blocked ears or pressure

Relatable? Or is this probably more VM? Also any of you overlap with VM? Anyone with autoimmune issues?

Hey everyone, Does anyone know of a company that makes custom FL-41 clip-ons for glasses, ideally where I can send in my own frame for a perfect fit? Most of the ones I’ve seen are either generic sizes or pretty pricey. I’m looking for inexpensive options—somewhere around $40 to $100 max.

Bonus points if they ship internationally (I’m outside the U.S.) or are open to working with non-U.S. customers. Appreciate any suggestions or experiences you’ve had!

Please explain to me in detail cuz I sometimes see light after images even after I close me eyes for like 5 to 10 seconds for tube lights n stuff but I thought it was normal?

I get that the people in my life will never truly understand what I’m going through, but what sucks the most about that is the gaslighting that comes with it.

When I talk about my issues that I KNOW are not normal, I’ll often hear “oh that’s normal for everyone to have afterimages” when I’m talking about positive afterimages that persist in my central vision. or “static? That’s floaters” when it’s clearly not. or worst of all “you’ve always had that, this isn’t new”.

recently I made a post about my pupils being different sizes from an eye drop. It’s been 3 or 4 days and is just now starting to go back to normal. Well when I woke up and first noticed it and freaked out because I had no idea what was going on, what was the first thing someone said? “Maybe they’ve always been different sizes and you didn’t notice”

BRUH. It looked like I just had a stroke. I’m 26, do you really think I would have just now noticed that one pupil is 2 times bigger than the other? And this was a family member who has known me my whole life who said that.

Medical gaslighting is one thing at a doctors office, but that level of it in my own family/circle is a whole new level of ridiculous

A few years ago, I saw bright lights followed by a headache. I had that headache for roughly 10 months. Not headaches, that headache, every morning to every night. Since then, I haven't been myself. I used to play video games you'd describe as spreadsheet games, and be the guy who can sit an read an entire wiki for 4 hours straight. I can't anymore. All my hobbies are gone, I had to drop out of online school, all because of this floaty effect on reading, and lines in my vision within 15 seconds of trying. I basically can't read anymore, at least without much discomfort and strain.

So many symptoms that have had no iota of explanation. Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and neurologists have told me to basically go home and pound sand because 'I'm in my 20s so I'll be fine', after saving up and borrowing money to afford the one appointment with them without any insurance.

I gave up and have felt so incredibly lost but this sub gives me a feeling that maybe there's SOME explanation. Maybe I can save up again and find the correct kind of doctor to go to to at least ease the reading aspect so I can finish school and enjoy things again. I also learned from someone here to switch everything from dark mode to light mode which has helped significantly (before all this light mode was a sin to me). It doesn't solve it, but helps.

So yeah, thank y'all for suffering with me.

I’m reading it’s effective for migraine…is there a chance it might help with VSS? I’m 11+ years into mine. It doesn’t bother me too much in that I don’t think about it, but wow…I really can’t see and being able to see clearly would make life so much easier, less tiring, and prettier. I can’t believe the difference in all of the above for the 10 minutes my VSS pauses after I watch videos with static.

I'm seeing occasional strobing lights where there is none, which makes me think I'm going to have a seizure. I do get tremors now, so unsure if there is a correlation. Ex I bought those multifaceted Xmas string lights and they literally were vibrating to me and irl in video, they were not. Like everyone else, vss seems to change daily, but I always get some new flair. Unsure if this is something anyone else is aware of.

Maybe this is just because I’m in a genetics unit, but is anyone here having parents or relatives also having VSS? Possibly without knowing themselves?

My mom also has VSS, and I’ll have to ask my grandparents but I’m not sure!

I dont even know if this is even a part of vs or not, but I find when I read for too long, which is only about five minutes, I start to get a headache and my eyes feel very strained. Does anyone know any ways to deal with this or make it better? And if it even is vs and not something else. I would really appreciate any advice.

I have had visual snow since March 2022. Have been to neuro opt and diagnosed with VSS. Recently I have done more bloodwork testing with an extensive Lyme panel and came back positive for Bartonella. I am not sure how long I have had this or if it is the cause.

Have anyone fixed their visual snow from curing underlying conditions such as Lyme disease?

Hello all,

Any of you guys feel your tinnitus middle of your brain when u plug your ears ? like centered close to thalamus

I get afterimages when I read texts on books , screens sometimes when I stare at things , or bright objects Did all the scans came back normal Did a erg it said I had a very mild macular dysfunction but not concerning I am going blind because of this And does afterimages mean your eyes a&e getting damaged overtime ( every single time you get an afterimage ) It all started when I was exposed to very bright led lights but there were no damage in the scans Now I have static and bad afterimages