Visual Snow Syndrome - Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Visual snow syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that causes persistent visual disturbances. This condition can significantly impact a person’s quality of life.

In this article, we discuss visual snow syndrome more, exploring its symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and potential management strategies.

What is Visual Snow Syndrome?

Visual snow syndrome is a neurological visual processing disorder that causes visual disturbances. It affects the entire visual field and is characterized by tiny flickering dots (visual static). 

The prevalence of people living with visual snow is unknown, but experts believe it is more common in late adolescence and early adulthood. Visual snow is linked to migraine with aura. However, there is no evidence that one condition causes the other.

Signs and Symptoms of Visual Snow 

Most people experiencing visual snow have the classic symptom of seeing many tiny, flashing dots in their field of vision. Although the dots typically appear black and white, some people see colored dots.

While visual syndrome doesn’t cause any structural changes, there are still physical and visual symptoms. These include:

• Light sensitivity and impaired night vision
• Flashes of light (photopsia)
• Migraine, nausea, and vomiting
• Floaters
• Tinnitus
• Seeing images that are no longer there (palinopsia)
• Persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD)
• Anxiety and depression 
• Fatigue and poor sleep quality
• Fine motor tremors or uncontrolled movement of the hands
• Enhanced entoptic phenomena 

What Causes Visual Snow?

The exact cause of visual snow syndrome is unknown. However, neurological experts believe it is rooted in the visual pathway becoming “hyper-excited” to internal and external visual stimuli. 

Visual snow syndrome has been linked to a cortical brain dysfunction called thalamocortical dysrhythmia. This disorder is a miscommunication of neurons between the thalamus and the cerebral visual cortex. Additionally, magnetic encephalography testing (MEG) confirmed the brain changes involved in thalamocortical dysrhythmia and visual snow. 

Complications of Visual Snow Syndrome

Visual snow syndrome isn’t a progressive condition that gets worse over time and causes blindness. However, it is a chronic condition that won’t go away on its own. If left untreated, it can negatively affect your quality of life, mental health, and ability to function.

What Are the Risk Factors of Visual Snow Syndrome

People with these conditions are at a higher risk of developing visual snow syndrome:

• Migraine with aura 
• Fibromyalgia 
• Tinnitus
• Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (after using illicit drugs)
• Dyslexia
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Use of hallucinogenic drugs
• Family history of visual snow or migraines 

How is Visual Snow Diagnosed?

Visual snow syndrome can be tricky to diagnose because it is often confused with other conditions, like persistent migraine aura, retinal detachment, and dyslexia. To rule out other health conditions, a healthcare provider will:

• Take a detailed family and medical history
• Ask about visual and sensory symptoms
• Conduct a physical examination 
• Administer a neurological exam
• Refer for normal ophthalmology tests (comprehensive eye exam)
• Order a computed tomography (CT) or  magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) scan

A formal visual snow diagnosis will be made when “snow” or “static” symptoms persist for longer than three months, if you experience two or more of its symptoms, or if other health conditions have been ruled out. They may also make a formal diagnosis if the condition isn’t responding to migraine medication.

How Do You Get Rid of Visual Snow?

The primary goal of treating visual snow syndrome is minimizing symptoms and improving quality of life. Doctors may recommend the following treatment options:

• Using dull-colored paper
• Avoiding bright reading lights
• Avoid line-skipping while reading
• Wearing tinted glasses to reduce visual snow
• Anti-seizure medication (lamotrigine)
• Nerve-pain medication (nortriptyline)
• Over-the-counter pain medication (naproxen)
• Antidepressant medication (sertraline)

While medication may be prescribed for people with visual snow syndrome, they have not proven to be effective at treating symptoms. It remains a poorly understood condition, but ongoing research and a growing awareness of its symptoms are paving the way for improved diagnosis and management.