Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome

also called Meares-Irlen Syndrome, Visual Stress or Visual Snow

Experience Sight2017: my animation of my vision

Snow intensity: 1intensity 2intensity 3intensity 4intensity  
   
Writing Tree Sunset Comet Haleā€“Bopp
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The visual effects simulated above vary depending on the device being used. The following intensity numbers were chosen while I was using a 1920x1200 resolution 15inch screen and running Microsoft Internet Explorer at zoom 125%.
Snowy Text Text: when reading indoors under natural light (not sunlight) I see at about intensity number 1. Under fluorescent lights it increases to at least number 2 and in bright conditions (e.g. direct sunlight) it can reach 4.
Snowy Countryside Countryside: generally I see the countryside at about intensity number 1. The visual chaos can be overwhelming especially on very bright sunny days when the intensity could easily reach number 3 or more.
Snowy sunset Sunset: mostly the sky has an intensity around number 1. However the sky can be very "snowy" especially on bright days or at the coast; the intensity can be at least number 3.
Snowy night sky Comet Hale-Bopp: usually the night sky has an intensity of about number 1. My vision always contains the "snow" even in complete darkness. I have never seen total darkness!
I have given the text animation a grey background so that the bright white snowy dots are visible. In reality I see bright white snowy dots moving over black text printed on pure white paper.

 

More on visual disturbances...

Tinnitus connection?
Is visual snow the eyesight equivalent of tinnitus? I suffer from tinnitus. I hear low pitch hums (like a car engine idling) and high pitch whistles; my symptoms are most prominent when there is very little external (actual) noise e.g. during night-time.
 

Words

In 'My World is not Your World' I describe how these visual disturbances affected my life including how hard it was coping when nobody realised my eyesight was defective. For example, during my teenage years I was barely literate.