Visual Snow Initiative's Personal Stories Series: #2 - Matthew Renze

Watch the second video in the Visual Snow Initiative’s Personal Stories Series: Hear from Matthew Renze - Data Scientist, Author, International Speaker - as he describes when he first developed Visual Snow, his road to a proper diagnosis, and how he has learned to manage his VS symptoms.

[@MonoIce350s]

Matthew brings up a good point about how we need to be wary of pseudoscience and misinformation in the community.

[@Galand230614]

Thanks Matthew, i think all VS sufferers should watch this video.

[@mrivers4277]

it feels relieving to know I am not alone. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@isabellmee1568]

Thank you Matthew, we all need to go together so that there will be more knowledge about visual snow among doctors. Many years I was wondering how I could be the only one having these symtoms, I wasn,t. We'll all work together to adress how many of us there are who are suffering and there will hopefully be research and treatment for this ❤

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

Thank you for your positive feedback Isabell, we appreciate it.

[@tktktk260]

I'm a junior Data Scientist myself and I have VS. I wish someday Data Scientists can contribute to this project to help finding the causes of VS and its treatments.

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

Us too. Great idea!

[@Fortjul]

wait , there's ways to manage the symptoms? This is the second time I've seen anything on this condition and i have had it since as long as i can remember. What doctors listen to people about this condition because I have not been able to find any.

[@codymoreland4496]

I have had this for only 6 months and it is horrible. I have migraines everyday. Floaters all over everyday. The sky and backdrops look like a giant static filled television. Brain fog very heavy and very often. Which causes me great anxiety. I had panic attacks. Luckily I dont have them anymore. I used to be an extremely high functioning person. I'm a product engineer by age 24, and bought my first house, got married, and have alot going for me. I'm 28. Not trying to brag. I just want you to know it has completely flipped my life on its head. I cant get any help either it seems. its debilitating.

[@Fortjul]

@@codymoreland4496 well I've dealt with it for my whole life and sadly I've not had anyone aside from my wife who even believes me that it's a thing. I no longer drive because at night I can't see anything. Nothing has been treated for this I've just become very tough and lived with the headaches . When I was a child I told my Dr that I saw tv static everywhere and he said I watch to much tv. Lol we had 1 tv In the house and watched maybe an hour a day. I'm just glad that after 40 years off dealing with it people are realizing it's a thing. I hope you find help and don't end up 40 something still guessing like me.

[@codymoreland4496]

@@Fortjul thanks for the years of wisdom you offer. Much appreciated

[@steve9584]

@@codymoreland4496 I’ve had it my whole life too, a few years ago it seems to have gotten worse though. Aside from lifelong VS my story is much like yours, engineer, first house at 24, heck I’m turning 27 soon! Super concerned but happy I’ve found this group.

[@Lightfurygirl]

@@codymoreland4496so ur visual snow is gone now?

[@g2k222]

Interesting he’s a software programmer too. I wonder if staring at the screen for so long caused it in him and myself??? I also notice that my eyes were incredibly dry (allergies and probably staring at the the screen) so I wonder if that being so chronic altered the way my perception of the visual field. I have also heard that it goes away randomly as it comes on. One thing I noticed is that about a week ago (probably in my second year since I started noticing symptoms) the visual snow got significantly better. I have also noticed that sleep helps my visual snow Also, compared to many other experiences it seems that my visual snow is not bad. I just have the static visual perception, and some floaters. The severity of this changes seemingly randomly. Typically, I only see the static on flat objects. One other interesting thing is sometimes I would get the “static” effect after I stopped exercising since I was about 10. However, none of this persisted until a couple years ago. Fingers crossed my brain can figure it out and recover!

[@polifonyann]

Same as you.

[@swatipandey8432]

How are you now

[@theoleergusa3527]

I am 14, i began seeing Black dots on my Wall at home and when i looked at the sky but that’s the only problem i have with my vision. I dont know what to do, if its visual Snow or another thing.Pls help me

[@TheHondarider35924]

Hello! I think you should definitely see a doctor for your own ease of mind. This could be visual snow, this could be migraines(most likely this), it could be floaters, or it could be entopic field phenomenon. It could also be a multitude of other things. Seeing a doctor is the only true way to find out. I have visual snow and every symtoms this gentleman in the video talked about plus a few more. Trust me. It can be alot of stress at first but I promise, if you practice meditation and being healthy it's totally manageable. I got visual snow bad as a child. I know have a successful career and a wife and child. This things seem like the end of the word at first but it's not. It's a minor bump in the road at most.

[@stuartforbes]

I like this guy. What are the tactile symptoms he mentions near the beginning?

[@jordanwelborn2475]

Stuart Forbes Touch. Physical feelings, such as tingling hands etc

[@gregturner6451]

My visual snow gets worse in the dark, it's not too noticable during the day, but I fear it'll get progressively worse

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

Thanks for sharing your experience with VSS. We are so glad you found our page. You are not alone 💗🤍

[@angiedixon8017]

I wonder if there is a year correlation as to when we all started seeing snow. Mine was in 2005.

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

Hello Angie, everyone's symptoms are different and started at different times in their lives. Thanks again for sharing...

[@Janie.Fitness]

Ive had what’s seems to be VVS for as long as I can remember. I have the tingling and auditory symptoms as well as the static in different colors. It’s like their vibrating in place. After images of objects have always been with me but more recent years A pulsing phenomenon has occurred. Like sparkling ✨ lights obscure my vision and it’s very obvious. I’ve never viewed this as negative because I perceived this as something spiritual (and still do).

[@timchurch2390]

Same. In fact in meditation I focus on the individual "atoms" of static, and they become incredibly complex, multi colored and multifaceted jewels. Beyond anything I've seen in physical reality.

[@cocoacanella]

I am the same. In fact I would not want to experience the world in any other way! I find it beautiful and think it makes the world more interesting. I see it as more of a spiritual thing too. I actually wonder if it may be energy/vibration that we are able to see. I’ve noticed it changes slightly depending on my surroundings, the speed/flow of it if that makes any sense. I don’t always notice it, just in dim light/dark or when I focus on it. I don’t think it is a disorder at all, just a way of perceiving the world.

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

Thank you for sharing and for your positivity. You're not alone!

[@junkdnareviews2515]

Ive had this all my life. Its studden got worse in my left eye which is really annoying

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

Thanks for sharing, we hope that you're doing well.

[@costelardud7258]

Visual snow..floater.When I look at something then I notice how everything seems to be flickering and trembling as if the world around me was vibrating. Anyone else who has this? To me this is definitely not normal but no doctor could help me with it. I also have migraine aura. I am affraid i will lose my vision

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

Hello there. You are not going to lose your vision from Visual Snow, that you should not worry about. Please take a look at the list of medical experts around the world that can help diagnose you, here's the link: www.visualsnowinitiative.org/visual-snow-doctors-and-specialists/. Hope this helps.

[@subodhthakur5193]

Do u have floaters

[@egynevsejo]

Subodh Thakur yup

[@DJFrostHeave]

Yes.

[@Akiodio]

No

[@tuvcek]

im 14 and I have visual snow I find it hard to focus

[@VisualSnowInitiative]

We feel you 🥺 we are always here for support and resources

[@theoleergusa3527]

Can you see clearly on your phone?

[@basketballnetic3312]

Yes

[@RealParadoxed]

Yeah

[@moonlightfitz]

😢