I have suffered for 10 years with persistent migraine aura (visual snow). It is present 24/7. Gave up years ago on finding relief. Now had to have cataract surgery and that has exacerbated the problem to where I am once again "searching." The first neurologist I saw, at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, told me not to look for an answer for this because there wasn't one and I would have to learn to "ignore it." Amazingly, I actually have learned to do this, after 2 years of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. I have just worked on NOT giving it "energy." Now I wonder if I'll have to do the same with a severe exacerbation: moving large white spots (dime-sized) that vibrate and are intruding farther and farther into my visual field. (Before, the shimmering and flashing were primarily in the periphery.) If so, I will finally have to give up activities that I have continued despite the condition, as it is just too irritating and I also find the stress of "seeing through" the lights is giving me headaches. (I never did have migraine headaches; in fact, seldom have had headaches at all except occasional sinus headache). This is made better by being outside in bright light. Thank God I live in Phoenix, where even the occasional "gray" day makes everything worse. Evenings are bad. I turn on all of the lights, am getting recessed ceiling lights installed, but the symptoms are still very bad. I don't understand why more research is not being done on this, considering the grave effects on one's life. The very specialists you think will h elp (neuro-opthalmologists) have told me they have "never seen this." Since I found it with a 10 minute internet search, what is wrong with them? I think many just stop learning anything new after med school. How can they claim a "specialty" in neuro-optholmic problems and have "never heard of persistent migraine aura"??????
I live 2 miles from Barrow Neurological Center, to which people come from all over the world. They called this "eye seizures" and were very cavalier about it. Gave me dilantin, which didn't help. All they could offer.
I'm taking all of the suggestions I've found on sites to the neurologist who seemed the least uninterested.
I guess it helps some to have finally found that I am not the only person in the world with this, as I have been treated by some docs as some sort of freak. I am not married; few of my friends know about this. Those who do are sympathetic, but the closest they come to understanding is to say, "Ya, I know. I have floaters." I have floaters too and would give almost anything to have ONLY THOSE. I try to tell myself there are worse things, but sometimes, to tell the truth, I can't think of any. Someone suggested I was being "tested." Well, I've passed the test for 10 years. Now I'm getting a harder test. WHEN DID I SIGN UP FOR THE COURSE?