Pixelated vision

[dmckeever]

For over 20 years I have suffered from what I call "Pixelated" vison.  I see a swimming pattern of minute dots or "pixels" super imposed on everything.  The lower the light level, the more prominent the pixels appear.  It makes driving at night extremely difficult.  I am also extremely sensitve to "after images."

I saw another forum inquiry about this placed back in 2005, but there was no diagnosis of cause or suggested treatment.

No one else in my family suffers from this odd vision problem.  Though my eye pressure is normal, I have a family history of glaucoma and wondered if there was any realation.  I have asked my eye doctor but he did not have any ideas either.

[gceylon]

A related discussion, Pixelated Vision was started.

[dmckeever]

I looked at the vision simulator on thevisioncommunity.com and it shows a pretty good depiction.  Although my "snow" is magenta and cyan rather than white.  
Combine this with constant strong after-images.  

[dmckeever]

Hey thanks for the info and link.  I had no idea this was such a prevailant phenomenon, since no one I have known knows what I am talking about.  It's nice to know you aren't alone in the world.

[mikej1736]

Welcome to my world!  You have............VISUAL SNOW.

I notice it on dark surfaces, and rugs mostly.  Most doctors I've seen don't understand what I'm talking about when I describe it.  Only recently (the past 4 days) have I learned what it was.......I've yet to see a doctor for it, but it causes me a lot of anxiety so I plan on calling one tomorrow.  It's supposedly harmless, and just something you may have to live with.  


A few links about it.....

http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/EyeCare/messages/402.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_snow  - I dont like this description, kinda hard to understand.

http://www.thevisioncommunity.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=171#

[Flycaster305]

I had double cataract removal last month, two weeks apart, and am experiencing exactly what you are describing.  My right eye  sees thousands of pixels, or pinpoints as I call them.  My father, God rest his soul,  was an eye surgeon at a teaching medical school, and I can remember him talking about the problem, how I wished I'd paid more attention.  I see my eye doc tomorrow and will press him for information, it drives me nuts.  Floaters in my definition are large blobs that obscure vision.  I also get the migraine eye images which are like wrinkled tin foil that contracts and expands... this is different and driving me nuts.

[Loki117]

Sorry DMC I will bow out and let the experts answer! Best of luck.

Tom

[dmckeever]

No, It's not floaters.  I know what those are.  I've seen them since I was a little kid.  This covers my entire field of vision, continuously.  Unlike floaters, which are more easily seen when staring at a bright solid color object, like the sky, the pixels are more prominent in lower light.  

It is very much like an Ophthalmic Migraine, which I have also had numerous times.  However, there is less movement to the pixels than during these eposides.

[Loki117]

Hey the doc is probably going to come along and tell you what it's likely to be but from ALOT of reading what you have sounds like floaters on your eyes try looking it up and see if it matches what your seeing.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Hello demkeever,   Anything serious or progressive would caused problems a long time ago (you've had the problem 20 years). There are all sorts of entopic visual phenomenen that observant people notice. This has been discussed many times and at length in the eye forums. If you're so inclined you can go to the archives and read them previous posting and answers.

My practice involves a lot of patients with neurological problems and our practice has a neuro-ophthalmologist in our group. I believe your condition will defy precise diagnosis and am I rather sure there is no specific treatment for it.

You should have your eyes examined yearly by an ophthalmologist (EyeMD) and if new symptoms develop or your 'pixelated' vision worsens you may need a neurological/neuro-ophthalmology work-up. This is both time consuming and expensive. Few problems that have remained the same for two decades need that extensive work-up. You can rule out these symptoms due to glaucoma. No way. You are at increased risk for glaucoma because of your family history.

JCH MD