My name is Lily, and I was diagnosed with Visual Snow Syndrome at 15 years old, although I have been living with it for as long as I can remember.
Before my diagnosis, I always assumed that everyone could see particles in the air. It was simply part of how I experienced the world. It was not until I mentioned it to my family that I realized this was not the norm.
Getting a diagnosis was not a straightforward process. It took visits to a GP, an ophthalmologist, and a neurologist, along with an MRI, an EEG, and several other tests, just to rule everything else out. For a condition that affects your vision every single day, the road to understanding it can be surprisingly long.
One of the biggest challenges I have faced because of Visual Snow Syndrome is reading and writing. Intense contrast glare, especially black text on white backgrounds, has always made it difficult for me to process text comfortably. Every assignment required me to read over the words at least twice before I could fully absorb the information.
Over the years, I explored different solutions, many of which were designed for dyslexia. However, none of them seemed to work for me. The only thing that helped was printing on blue paper. I used this method often, especially during my GCSEs, which are national exams typically taken in the UK at age 15 or 16, and later during my A Levels. However, as I got older, printing everything on blue paper became increasingly impractical.
Visual Snow Syndrome can be an isolating experience. Because of that, I wanted to create something that could help others feel less alone and give them the opportunity to explore what might or might not work for them, the way blue paper once worked for me.
That is how Haunani came to life.
The Haunani Project
Haunani is a free interactive resource designed to support individuals with Visual Snow Syndrome, dyslexia, or anyone who finds black text on white backgrounds difficult to read. Created in collaboration with the Visual Snow Initiative, this free resource helps users explore how different background colours may affect their reading comfort and accuracy.
The experience is designed as a short quiz that takes around 5 to 8 minutes to complete. Users are asked to rank their colour preferences, read four short passages on different coloured backgrounds, and answer a few quick questions. The goal is to help people discover which background colour may feel easier or more comfortable for them to read with.
For people with Visual Snow Syndrome, dyslexia, contrast sensitivity, or everyday reading discomfort, this kind of insight can be useful in daily life. Finding a more comfortable background colour may help with schoolwork, work tasks, reading, studying, and browsing the web. While Haunani is not a treatment or cure, it offers a simple way for people to better understand their own visual preferences and consider small adjustments that may make reading feel more manageable.
The name Haunani means “beautiful snow” in Hawaiian, a fitting name for a project inspired by Visual Snow Syndrome and the unique way people with VSS experience the world.
The project began as part of my university work, where I was originally designing physical tinted lenses for people with Visual Snow Syndrome. Over time, that idea evolved into a digital resource. As a product designer and recent graduate of Brown University and Central Saint Martins, I wanted to create something practical, accessible, and easy to use.
When I could not find a digital solution that worked for me, I decided to build one.
The resource is free, anonymous, and open to anyone. Whether you have Visual Snow Syndrome, dyslexia, experience contrast sensitivity, or are simply curious about how colour can affect reading, Haunani was created to help you explore your experience in a supportive way.
Take the Quiz: www.haunani.co.uk
