Aa
Oscillopsia, snowy vision, after images, pulsating light.
I found this site by google search. Someone from http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/31637.html had described a lot of my same symptoms and a lot of others advised they had the same symptoms. All of them had run a battery of tests back in 2002, and none were correctly diagnosed.
I have oscillopsia that's both vertical and horitzontal. At least I would call it oscillopsia... it usually happens with white objects but instead of my "whole world" oscillating it is more like certain objects in my field of vision tend to twitch. My best reasoning for the twitching is my blind spot mechanism trying to fill a gap where the object produces shadow or there is some depth. Sometimes after, say a fold in the shower curtain, has twitched it will blend with the rest of the shower curtain if it's in the right position in my eye.
Also I have extended after images, it only takes a few ms for me to see an after image. An example would be that I was tested for ADHD once and there is a little test that flashes a letter for definitely under a second, closer to under half a second... anyways, those little letters would present after images in under a second!
Any CRT monitor that is under 75 hz drives me crazy... I constantly see the light pulsating rapidly, same applies for flourescent lights, all it is is a constantly rapid flickering that is so annoying.
And then I see snow. The snow part gets scary sometimes because it's so realistic. I would liken it to being able to see every dust/pollen molecule out for 5 yards and then processing all of the dust flying around rapidly at the same time. There are hundreds of thousands of them! I don't always see the snow though... it is usually when I am 'concentrating' my vision, usually trying to do away with the flickering oscillopsia unsuccessfully.
Also, at times, when I concentrate on an object it produces an 'aura' which I assume is a constant negative image placed slightly above the object.
The oscillopsia started probably about 4 years ago. Around that time I did hit my head on a wall once while walking in the dark, produced a very quick white flash but I was not knocked out or anything (that I know of) and also I hit my temple on the ice when snow boarding once... again, quick flash of white light but I was back on my feet instantly. I know I didn't pass out there because there were other people.
I do smoke weed almost every day, including mornings, have been for the last six years. I think I may quit for a few weeks to see if that helps with anything at all, although I am pretty sure it will not since I don't have to be high for the symptoms to be present. (Plus the other thread has people who presumably aren't such raging potheads as myself.) I did take mushrooms once about 5 years ago and had a horrible trip, then I took MDMA a week later around a really bad crowd and freaked out, having panic attacks for a month or so afterwards. I took 2C-I which is related to LSD multiple times about a year ago which could be a more likely source of HPPDs but all the symptoms were present prior to taking the 2C-I. Alcohol wise I am not an alcoholic but I have definitely consumed my fair share since I've been a college student the last 6 years. At my worst if I was depressed at how long college was taking or not having a girlfriend etc, I could drink up to half a Fifth of 80 proof liquor a day a few days in a row but generally never really above six drinks a day and more often then not just two or three drinks a day(especially the last year.) I did binge drink though, and would postulate that I've probably averaged one night a week where I would drink about twelve drinks worth of alcohol for the last six years. Which would mean approximately THREE HUNDRED or so instances (wow, just realized how much) This whole time I really never had any bad hangovers and only the day following a large night of drinking would bruising be present so liver function seems to have never really been impaired.
So, has anyone figured this stuff out since 2002? I mentioned the alcohol and drugs but frankly I don't believe that it was caused by them. I am almost thinking a lot of it was caused by minor concussion from those few head hits back in 2003/2004. Possibly some HPPD(snow, after images, auras) was produced by my highly bad trips back in 2002/2003 but the HPPD would have been delayed at least a year, which would be a little uncommon. I have not had any imaging done, I have been to an ophthalmologist and a neuro-ophthalmologist and neither could find much. They did blind spot tests and apparently I'm just fine in that category. Slight nystagmus was present when I had to follow the object with my eyes but they advised it was not significant. Oh, and I RARELY have headaches. I probably have the least amount of headaches out of anyone I know. I will get a very slight headache from time to time but any decent headache comes around maybe once every 3 months if that.
Thanks if anyone has any comment!
I have oscillopsia that's both vertical and horitzontal. At least I would call it oscillopsia... it usually happens with white objects but instead of my "whole world" oscillating it is more like certain objects in my field of vision tend to twitch. My best reasoning for the twitching is my blind spot mechanism trying to fill a gap where the object produces shadow or there is some depth. Sometimes after, say a fold in the shower curtain, has twitched it will blend with the rest of the shower curtain if it's in the right position in my eye.
Also I have extended after images, it only takes a few ms for me to see an after image. An example would be that I was tested for ADHD once and there is a little test that flashes a letter for definitely under a second, closer to under half a second... anyways, those little letters would present after images in under a second!
Any CRT monitor that is under 75 hz drives me crazy... I constantly see the light pulsating rapidly, same applies for flourescent lights, all it is is a constantly rapid flickering that is so annoying.
And then I see snow. The snow part gets scary sometimes because it's so realistic. I would liken it to being able to see every dust/pollen molecule out for 5 yards and then processing all of the dust flying around rapidly at the same time. There are hundreds of thousands of them! I don't always see the snow though... it is usually when I am 'concentrating' my vision, usually trying to do away with the flickering oscillopsia unsuccessfully.
Also, at times, when I concentrate on an object it produces an 'aura' which I assume is a constant negative image placed slightly above the object.
The oscillopsia started probably about 4 years ago. Around that time I did hit my head on a wall once while walking in the dark, produced a very quick white flash but I was not knocked out or anything (that I know of) and also I hit my temple on the ice when snow boarding once... again, quick flash of white light but I was back on my feet instantly. I know I didn't pass out there because there were other people.
I do smoke weed almost every day, including mornings, have been for the last six years. I think I may quit for a few weeks to see if that helps with anything at all, although I am pretty sure it will not since I don't have to be high for the symptoms to be present. (Plus the other thread has people who presumably aren't such raging potheads as myself.) I did take mushrooms once about 5 years ago and had a horrible trip, then I took MDMA a week later around a really bad crowd and freaked out, having panic attacks for a month or so afterwards. I took 2C-I which is related to LSD multiple times about a year ago which could be a more likely source of HPPDs but all the symptoms were present prior to taking the 2C-I. Alcohol wise I am not an alcoholic but I have definitely consumed my fair share since I've been a college student the last 6 years. At my worst if I was depressed at how long college was taking or not having a girlfriend etc, I could drink up to half a Fifth of 80 proof liquor a day a few days in a row but generally never really above six drinks a day and more often then not just two or three drinks a day(especially the last year.) I did binge drink though, and would postulate that I've probably averaged one night a week where I would drink about twelve drinks worth of alcohol for the last six years. Which would mean approximately THREE HUNDRED or so instances (wow, just realized how much) This whole time I really never had any bad hangovers and only the day following a large night of drinking would bruising be present so liver function seems to have never really been impaired.
So, has anyone figured this stuff out since 2002? I mentioned the alcohol and drugs but frankly I don't believe that it was caused by them. I am almost thinking a lot of it was caused by minor concussion from those few head hits back in 2003/2004. Possibly some HPPD(snow, after images, auras) was produced by my highly bad trips back in 2002/2003 but the HPPD would have been delayed at least a year, which would be a little uncommon. I have not had any imaging done, I have been to an ophthalmologist and a neuro-ophthalmologist and neither could find much. They did blind spot tests and apparently I'm just fine in that category. Slight nystagmus was present when I had to follow the object with my eyes but they advised it was not significant. Oh, and I RARELY have headaches. I probably have the least amount of headaches out of anyone I know. I will get a very slight headache from time to time but any decent headache comes around maybe once every 3 months if that.
Thanks if anyone has any comment!
i have the same hallucinations, i started noticing them when i tried DXM which i did for years on end. the hallucinations i experience are intense i describe it as a "pulsating rainbow static tv screen that covers the entire landscape of my vision" idk what the hell it is HPPD or oscilliopsia w/e. I smoke weed on the regular and it kicks the hallucinations into first gear.. its crazy.. ive noticed being infront of the computer alot also intensifies the hallucinations (although they seem to have a mind of there own and intensify at the most awkward times). I just need some info from someone who actually knows what im talking about.
Odd thing is I just started doing cardio yesterday and I swear the conditions have improved already! At least the after images part and the snowy part... still some oscillopsia. Maybe just good diet, exercise, and keeping the alcohol and weed down to very moderate levels will fix everything. I'll post again in a week or two to let everyone know of the progress!
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