There needs to be more funding for research on Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) so there can be a permanent, accessible, solution.

Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) is a neurological disorder causing persistent, tiny, flickering dots (static) throughout the visual field, often accompanied by afterimages, photophobia, and tinnitus. It has only been lightly researched in recent years. While being briefly mentioned in medical literature in 1995, VSS didn’t have proper research or a proper name connected to it until the mid 2010s. Up until recently, it wasn’t known to be a neurological disorder, but as an issue with the pathology of the eye. 

I personally struggle with VSS and it has caused a significant disruption to my life. I can’t focus, my vision isn’t clear, and I frequently experience tinnitus. When I first experienced these in 2022, there was minimal research on it and I was left confused about what was happening to me. Many people on social media have also recently shared their struggles with VSS, especially on Reddit. The subreddit r/VisualSnow garnering 15,000 users with daily posts explaining how it’s affected them negatively and how their symptoms have been ignored by doctors.

Before 2019, it took an individual an average of 9 years to be properly diagnosed by a doctor. This has mainly been attributed to unawareness from health professionals and lack of research. While there have been developments such as the Visual Snow Initiative and an increase in VSS research, there has not been a solution found to consistently reduce symptoms. 

If we make our voices heard, the right people can hear us and there may finally be a treatment that can alleviate all of our symptoms.