...Or at least that's how a friend of mine
describes it. I have had visual anomalies
during dark environments for as long as I
can remember and I am trying to find out
exactly what it is. From my research thus
far, I found out that people experience
“cortical gray” when their eyes are
closed during dark environments. A person
doesn’t see total blackness at night
when they close their eyes but a dull gray
color. The most common visual anomaly, I
suppose, is during a migraine headache
when a person experiences auroras and
scintillations. My problem goes much
further. In a lighted room, I can close
my eyes and see what appears to be
millions and millions of small points of
light flowing fluidly in my field of view.
The points of light vary in color. I
will also see what appears to be clouds or
nebulae that vary in color and will melt
away only to have another to take its
place. In a dark room with eyes open or
closed, the anomalies are more pronounced
and many times, very annoying. The worst
of these is when a white blob flies past
my head (as if coming from behind me),
hovers in my field of view and melts away
only to be replaced by another. This
happens over and over; the points of light
are always present. This is guaranteed
every night. Needless to say, my wife
falls asleep in about 10 minutes and I
fall asleep in 3+ hours. You can
understand why I wish to find out what
causes this. I always thought this was
normal until I asked my wife. Then I
started asking many other people. None of
them experience this. I talked to my
mother and to my surprise, she also
experiences this but not as intense.
Hereditary? I am 37 years old and can
remember experiencing this all my life.
When I visited the local sleep disorder
center and talked to a neurologist, he
offered nothing and referred me to a
psychiatrist for cognitive therapy. I was
given a list of rules to follow (which I
already do) and relaxation techniques (i
really don't have problems relaxing). If
a person shines a flashlight in your eyes
while you're trying to sleep, can
cognitive therapy help you to ingnore the
light? An electroencephalogram revealed
nothing. An optometrist laughed at me.
It's really hard for any doctor to take me
seriously because the only symptom doctors
can see is that I can't fall asleep. Once
I do fall asleep, I have no problems.
Does anyone out there experience this?
Any help would be appreciated!
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stefanie
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 33
Posted: 02-28-06 15:25pm
I have but only with a headache useually
after the headache calmes down i'll have
that when i'm trying to fall asleep.
Oh man I hear you about doctors not
listening, but the only advice I can tell
you is that it isn't normal so incase it's
something more sevier I would press until
you find a good gp doc and a good eye doc
who can take care of it,
i hope it all works for you, but in the
mean time there are some sleep aids either
by percription or over the counter that
may help you in falling asleep better
take care
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Naixius
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 16 Location: Universe
Posted: 04-08-06 10:29am
Do you sleep other than at night?
Remember, dont sleep in the afternoon. If
you sleep in afternoon, then you may not
be able to easily get sleep at night.
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skittleseer
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Feb 2006 Posts: 8
Sleep Habits Posted: 04-08-06 19:03pm
It is rare for me to take a nap during the
day. I follow all of the typical
guidelines for sleeping, such as no naps,
bed is used only for sleep or sex, if I
can't sleep, get up and do something, etc.
I don't think that sleep habits are the
problem. I can be really drowsy and when
I try to sleep, here comes the visual
stuff and then i'm awake.
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afobismome
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 2
Posted: 06-06-06 08:01am
Created an account just for this... I too
have the same symptoms that you are
having. Well, at least in the past.
Usually, I can't see those colorful dots
(i remember seeing it more frequently as a
child). Also see those swirvey white
blobs, but sometimes during the day.
I have no idea where it comes from and
what it means.. Just wanted to share that
you're not alone. I bet there are many
other people like this, but they just dont
care enough to think about it.
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usbbar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 49 Location: Undefined
Posted: 06-10-06 22:55pm
Try not to pay attention to it.
Wen I close my eyes, I see pitch black...
But when I concentrate on that pitch black
color, I start seeing dots, colours and
blobs. I think what you have is normal,
you should empty your mind berfore goign
to sleep.
Another good technique is self-hypnosis,
it not as good as getting a proper
hypnosist to do it, but it works quite
well on many people.
What you should do is close you eyes and
repeat the same sentence in your head over
and over again, the sentrence will need to
be along the lines of "i am going to
sleep, I feel nicely calm and relaxed,"
also, at the same time, immagine a relaxed
environment (the rainforest, lake, in
front of a mountain, a deserted beach...
Whatever makes you feel calm and content)
this should keep your attention away from
the dots.
I think your problem is that you have an
active mind, so when you're not using it,
it's still working... But in a different
way.
You need to concentrate on otgher things
to keep your mind busy in non-distractive,
repetitive ways.
Gl!
Gl
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skittleseer
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Feb 2006 Posts: 8
Reply to Usbbar Posted: 07-20-06 22:28pm
It's very difficult trying not to pay
attention to it especially when it's the
brilliant, bright white blobs that seem to
fly past me, hover for a few seconds and
dissapate only to have the cycle
continously repeat itself. Think of it
as yourself trying to sleep while someone
takes a bright flashlight and sweeps the
beam across your eyes at equal intervals.
I don't have to concentrate for it to
happen. As soon as I close my eyes, it's
always there. Lighting levels don't
matter either. I can be outside on a
sunny day, close my eyes, and it's there.
If a room is dark enough, I don't even
need to close my eyes to see the anomaly.
|
racer
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 4
Posted: 07-30-06 19:06pm
Dang skittle, you still having the colors
burst problems and can't sleep? Your
original post is like 5 months ago. I
agree with usbbar and I see that too if I
like sit there and think what are my eyes
seeing...Haha, kind of a weird thought.
But yeah it's no laughing matter and I
can't really say don't pay attention to
it. It's like a blinking neon sign
blaring in the window. I don't know about
hypnosis but I posted this site somewhere
else that looks like they know what they
are talking about and it probably works
good or they wouldn't offer your cash
back. Check it out, I hope it works.
Take care skit :) www.Sleep-deprivation-cd.C
om
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skittleseer
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Feb 2006 Posts: 8
Reply to Racer Posted: 08-14-06 22:21pm
Thanks for the input, racer. I checked
out the website and sent them an email
describing my problem. They said that if
the visual anomaly thing is causing
insomnia, then the cd wouldn't help. It
still seems like that it requires no
concentration at all to experience this.
I can get quite relaxed and mind clear of
thoughts. I do agree with you and usbbar
about concentrating on the anomalies - it
probably does intensify when I think about
it. I still have the initial problem,
though. All of the doctors i've spoken
to all agree - it is not a normal
condition. I've recently had an eeg and
mri done to rule out seizures and both
were normal. I will be going on a
follow-up visit with a neurologist to
discuss the results and options soon.
|
badwolf
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 3 Location: australia
Re: Reply to Racer Posted: 08-23-06 07:46am
skittleseer
wrote:
thanks for the input, racer.
I checked out the website and sent
them an email describing my problem.
They said that if the visual anomaly thing
is causing insomnia, then the cd wouldn't
help. It still seems like that it
requires no concentration at all to
experience this. I can get quite
relaxed and mind clear of thoughts. I
do agree with you and usbbar about
concentrating on the anomalies - it
probably does intensify when I think about
it. I still have the initial problem,
though. All of the doctors i've spoken
to all agree - it is not a normal
condition. I've recently had an eeg
and mri done to rule out seizures and both
were normal. I will be going on a
follow-up visit with a neurologist to
discuss the results and options
soon.
this may be of no help, but I firmly
believe that the levels of dopamine and
seratonin in the brain can cause this
effect.
I was prescribed zoloft a few years ago
and I had this effect to the point I was
able to visualize vivid geometric pattern
in the dark. I could almost imagine
geometric "jellyfish" that would morph and
sway into each other and dissapear only to
have it reappear - almost fractal like.
I dont know if this is the same as you
see, you mention 'nebula' type formations,
but I do know I was experiencing something
I could see if I closed my eyes or was in
the dark, and it was very vivid.
And I say this has to do with
seratonin/dopamine as zoloft - seratonin
reuptake inhinibiting drug - causes an
increase in seratonin in the brain, quite
similar to what the drugs ecstasy and lsd
do, which people often report seeing cev -
closed eye visuals - which are generally
geometric, non-tangible patterns that thay
can vividly see.
I also know that when I was in hospital
once for a major cut, I was given a
painkiller that was in fact a ssri.
I would check any/all medication you are
on to see if they do cause any similar
effects.
Best of luck.
:)
oh and edit - also, have you had your gp
check your eyes at all, it can also be
caused by slight pressure of the eyeball.
But im sure you would also have strain
problems also.
