Visual Snow Initiative
Collaborate, Educate, and Cure
Visual Snow Syndrome is a neurological condition that impacts an individual’s vision, hearing, and quality of life. Patients see flashing lights, flickering dots, and static, all of which obstruct their visual field 24/7. There is no relief for them, even when their eyes are closed. Our goal is to help those with Visual Snow live and enjoy their life without fear. Together, we will find a cure!
DONATE TODAY
Help fund research for treatments and find a cure for Visual Snow!
LEARN MORE
Find out about this sight-altering brain condition and how it impacts thousands of people worldwide!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Join the movement and raise awareness for Visual Snow today!
The Important Condition You Probably Haven’t Heard of
What is Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS)?
YOUR DONATIONS COUNT
Fundraising & Research
VSI Raises $140,000 for Visual Snow Research at Monash University
VSI Raises $140,000 for Visual Snow Research at Monash University
VSI Raises $100,000 for Visual Snow Research at Kings College London
VSI Raises $100,000 for Visual Snow Research at Kings College London
VSI Raises $125,000 for Visual Snow Research at University of Colorado
VSI Raises $125,000 for Visual Snow Research at University of Colorado
Subscribe Today
Latest Updates
VSI News
Monash Dept. of Neuroscience Team Identifies Key Difference in People with Visual Snow Syndrome + Causes Being Revealed
This following excerpt was originally published on Monash University's Clinical School Blog on September 9th, 2020. For the first time, research has been able to display objective functional changes to the ocular motor networks in the brains of people with VSS. A...
Visual Snow Episode of “Tinnitus Talk” Podcast Out Now! (Feat. VSI Founder Sierra Domb and Dr. Peter Goadsby in collaboration with Tinnitus Hub)
Many people who have Visual Snow Syndrome also have Tinnitus. We collaborated with our good friends at Tinnitus Hub on a special episode of their podcast, Tinnitus Talk. “Visual Snow and Tinnitus: Phantom Phenomena” features VSI Founder Sierra Domb and neurologist Dr. Peter Goadsby as they discuss analogies between the two conditions and talk about their experiences in trying to push the envelope for Visual Snow sufferers.
Visual Snow Initiative Funding of the MBCT-Vision Study at St. Thomas’ London
The VSI enthusiastically supported Dr. Sui Wong’s Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy study modified for visual symptoms (MBCT-vision), put on by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, by providing the funding for the costs of functional MRI (fMRI) scans. 🔬👁👨⚕️ We are optimistic that the positive interim results and fMRI funding provided will help accelerate the process of finding a cure for Visual Snow Syndrome.
The Origin of VSI
The Cure of Understanding
The Visual Snow Initiative (VSI) is an extension of the Visual Snow Conference, which was held on May 5th, 2018 at UCSF. The Visual Snow Conference was established to shine a light on Visual Snow Syndrome by raising awareness, providing education, and fostering understanding for those whose lives are directly affected by this medical condition. Footage of the entire event is available for free on our website.
Our Purpose
Why We Have to Help
The term, “Visual Snow”, may sound harmless; but this medical condition is life-altering and can be frightening. Compared to everyone around them, people with Visual Snow Syndrome see the world very differently.
Without warning or cause, patients are forced to view life through a constant overlay of static with thousands of tiny moving dots and lights covering their entire visual field. (This is comparable to trying to see in the middle of a dense, severe snowstorm; hence, the name). They are also subjected to other disturbing imagery, ranging from palinopsia to extreme light sensitivity.
Beyond being bothersome and alarming, all of these symptoms can make daily tasks exhausting or impossible. Moreover, symptoms last 24/7, whether the patient’s eyes are open or closed. Visual Snow does not discriminate; it affects thousands of people of all ages around the world from different walks of life.
Research indicates that Visual Snow Syndrome is a neurological condition, meaning the problem originates in the brain, not the eyes. (A.K.A. Its genesis is in the brain, but it affects the eyes.) This would explain why ophthalmological/optometric tests (eye exams) come back “normal” for patients with Visual Snow and why it is so difficult for doctors to diagnose.
Awareness and knowledge about Visual Snow Syndrome must replace unnecessary and invasive medical testing. For many, Visual Snow can be traumatic and isolating. The Visual Snow Initiative (VSI) is dedicated to further understanding this condition and working on a potential treatment/cure for it.
We often take the ability to see our world clearly for granted; those with Visual Snow do not have this luxury.
“I was determined not to let Visual Snow stifle my ambition. I did not want this circumstance to turn me into a person I wasn’t.”
Sierra Domb, Founder
Spread the Word
Support the Cause,
Change Lives for the Better!
Let’s work together to raise awareness and education for Visual Snow Syndrome within the medical community and amongst the public! Once both of these are firmly established, then we can get closer to solutions and importantly, a cure for those who need it most.
