I was born with this neurological issue. I am 62 years old, and throughout my lifetime, I have told doctors that I see flickering dots of colored light. I was always told it was normal or that what I was seeing was simply floaters. Yes, I see floaters…but what about the trillions of tiny dots of light that are constantly dancing around? I could never get an answer.
I have one daughter and one son who were born with it, and I now have two grandchildren who were also born with it.
I have never seen complete darkness. Nighttime is the absolute worst. When you close your eyes, you are met with a never-ending light show. Finding your way in the dark with all those dots of light is incredibly difficult.
The ringing in my ears has been there for as long as I can remember, and it has gotten increasingly louder with age. I also have a heart issue where my heart can stop for up to five seconds. During those moments, I experience the most peaceful silence I have ever imagined. The ringing suddenly stops until my heart starts again. It is the only time in my life that everything is completely quiet.
It would be amazing to see clearly without the constant light show. More than anything, I would love for my children and grandchildren to experience clear vision.
I did not know what this condition was called, or that so many other people experienced visual snow, until September 4, 2023. That night, I asked my then-wife if she could see the ceiling fan turning. She said, “Of course. Why?” I told her, “Because I can’t see it clearly because of the light show.”
She started researching what I was describing, and that is how I finally discovered the name for what I had been experiencing my entire life.
I planned to ask my only sister the next morning if she had ever experienced the same thing. Sadly, she passed away at 4:00 a.m. that very night, so I never got the chance to ask her. None of her children seem to understand what I am describing, so I assume they do not experience it.
That is part of my story, I guess.
Greg Peters
Johnson City, Tennessee
