The article, “Mindfulness and MBCT-vision (mindfulness-based cognitive therapy modified for visual symptoms) for visual snow syndrome: a therapeutic perspective”, was authored by Dr. Sui H. Wong and Janet Wingrove. They are affiliated with King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the Institute of Neurology at University College London, and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The article was published in Frontiers in Neurology.
Please Note: This article is not a final clinical trial report. Rather, it offers a scientific perspective informed by insights from an ongoing randomized controlled trial (RCT), along with clinical observations and prior research studies. The authors share their experiences and offer insight into how mindfulness-based therapy adapted for visual symptoms, known as MBCT-vision, may provide a helpful resource for individuals affected by both visual and non-visual symptoms of Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS).
The Role of Attention in Visual Snow Syndrome
This study focuses on Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS), a neurological condition where individuals continuously see visual “static” or flickering dots. Many people with VSS also experience other visual disturbances such as light trails, afterimages, and moving patterns. These symptoms occur despite normal results on standard eye exams and brain imaging. Additionally, VSS can involve non-visual symptoms, including ringing in the ears (tinnitus), anxiety, feelings of disconnection from reality (depersonalization), and difficulty concentrating.
The authors explain that VSS is linked to disruptions in brain networks involved in vision, attention, and perception. Symptoms may worsen in VSS when brain networks that filter and focus on visual information fail to coordinate properly, leading to increased awareness of visual inputs that most people would normally filter out or ignore.
Specifically, three key brain systems are highlighted:
- The Salience Network, which determines what we pay attention to
- The Default Mode Network, active during inward reflection or when the mind is at rest
- Thalamocortical Circuits, which relay sensory information from the body to the brain
In people with VSS, these systems may not be working together properly. The brain becomes overly sensitive and too aware of visual information that most people would not even notice, making it hard to ignore these persistent visual disturbances.
This can lead to:
- Increased awareness of visual disturbances
- Anxiety about the meaning of symptoms
- Repetitive symptom checking, which can reinforce the cycle
This pattern may develop automatically and become hard to break, especially when individuals try to fight or suppress their symptoms.
Introducing MBCT-Vision
To help manage this cycle, the authors introduced MBCT-vision, a mindfulness-based therapy adapted for individuals with VSS. MBCT-vision builds on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a well-studied, noninvasive treatment option that has been applied to various conditions, including neurological disorders involving sensory disturbances like VSS. Research shows MBCT can promote positive changes in brain networks related to attention, emotional regulation, and neuroplasticity. MBCT-vision adapts this approach specifically for VSS by addressing visual symptoms and their emotional impact. It is delivered as an 8-week group program combining traditional mindfulness practices with strategies tailored to the unique experiences of individuals with VSS.
What the Brain Tells Us
Preliminary studies, including an open-label trial and an ongoing randomized controlled trial, suggest that MBCT-vision may help reduce VSS symptoms. These improvements have been linked to measurable changes in brain activity on fMRI scans, particularly within the Default Mode Network, a brain system involved in self-referential thoughts, mental rest, and reflection, which tends to be overactive in VSS. Such changes may reflect neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt over time.
In earlier studies, participants also reported continued symptom improvement up to three months after completing the program, indicating that ongoing mindfulness practice may help sustain these benefits. Additionally, the group format of MBCT-vision offers therapeutic value through shared understanding and validation among participants.
How the Program Works
MBCT-vision is delivered in a group format over 8 weeks and includes:
- Mindfulness exercises such as breath awareness, body scans, and gentle movement
- A structured “3-step breathing space” to help shift focus when symptoms feel overwhelming
- Weekly group discussions about VSS, lifestyle changes, and coping strategies
- Accessible, at-home mindfulness practices to build daily habits
- The program also includes accessible and practical grounding techniques, like light tapping on the body, which may help with feelings of depersonalization
Benefits of Mindfulness for VSS
Instead of trying to ignore or suppress symptoms, MBCT-vision empowers participants to:
- Gently retrain the brain over time to process visual information differently and calm the brain areas that become overactive in VSS
- Enhance attentional flexibility
- Increase awareness of thought patterns
- Promote a non-reactive stance toward symptoms
- Observe their symptoms without judgment
- Shift attention away from symptom monitoring
- Bring focus to other bodily sensations and experiences, which may help reduce the intensity of visual disturbances
Through this approach, participants may learn to observe their symptoms more calmly and redirect their attention when needed, helping to balance brain networks involved in attention and perception. This can reduce anxiety and provide a greater sense of control. The group format also creates a supportive environment where individuals can feel understood and less alone. Early evidence shows that symptom improvements frequently continue and may even strengthen months after completing the program, indicating that regular practice may help the brain adapt and induce functional changes over time.
Ongoing Research
The authors are currently conducting a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT), supported by the Visual Snow Initiative, to further test the effectiveness of MBCT-vision. This trial includes long-term tracking of participants and interviews about their personal experiences to rigorously assess MBCT-vision’s effectiveness. Results are expected by 2027.
Future research will explore:
- Shorter or more accessible versions of the program
- Whether certain people benefit more than others
- How mindfulness might work alongside other treatments
- The deeper brain mechanisms behind symptom relief
