- Visual Snow
- Interviews
Diane's interview
How did all start?
I've seen "little dots" since I was quite young. I told an ophthalmologist about them in 1965 and he said I couldn't possibly be seeing dots, my vision was fine, albeit nearsighted. I've had tinnitus for as long as there's been snow. The doctor who diagnosed that said there was no cure and I'd just have to learn to ignore it ... which I have. I can ignore it until I don't!
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
This year I finally looked "seeing tiny dots" up on the internet. I wanted desperately to have my new ophthalmologist "get" what I was saying. That's where I learned the term 'visual snow/visual static'. I told the doctor the name and he dismissed it... until he asked a specialist in the system and THAT doctor confirmed the diagnosis. They then ordered a bunch of tests which proved nothing! Hahaha!
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Honestly, just having a bunch of doctors believe me instead of dismiss me is potent!
What have been your biggest difficulties?
The aqueous humor in both eyes liquefied. (At different times). When the left eye's humor changed, the 'gel' folded in on itself creating a gray curtain that acts as a super floater. It acts as a veil floating up and down over my central vision. It also had curious reflective 'crystal' like things in it. It almost seemed to me that some of those "dots" had gotten caught up in this super floater. I've always seen dark and light dots, and in my mind, the light dots are the cones on the back wall of the eye. So, these dots collected light (miniscule) in them and they were floating around in the Super floater. Very hard to describe to a doctor who hasn't a clue about this syndrome!
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
Not at all.
What things have you stopped doing?
Nothing yet.
What do you think about the future?
I sense that my eyes are beginning to age ungracefully. Things are grander than when I was younger. I worry that the "eye disease" that my grandmother had is actually mine and that I, too, will be blind by the time I'm 80.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
In my late 30s, I was a semi-pro ballroom dancer. A big fish in a tiny pond. But it was lovely. And I have taught children for over 30 years, now retired.
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
I think I would not be having vision problems. So, I'd go boldly into my senior self!
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
It has been: up and down, swing and sway, in and out, yin and yang...just like it should be.
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
You're normal for you so get on with it!
