Ommatophobia

[OMMATOPRO]

Hi...I'm new here:) Would like some help. I'd like to know if there is anyone on this board who has ommatophobia (fear of eyes) or who knows someone who does... I have this phobia since age 16, am now 38 and would really like to find someone who has this as I have NEVER heard of anyone with this phobia. What a relief it would be to know someone out there understands me.

Sincerely,
Ommatopro

[bottleblond]

WELCOME to NMP hun,

I can honestly say that i have never heard of this one but many people use this site who suffer from all sorts of phobias.

I hope you get some answers.

Lisa
xxx

[thedood]

Wow I'm interested OMMATOPRO... how does this phobia work...what is the context of your fear of eyes?

[eeyorelover]

Here is a link about Ommetaphobia that explains it rather well :)
http://ommetaphobia.com/phobia.htm
xxx
Sandy

[OMMATOPRO]

Wow I'm interested OMMATOPRO... how does this phobia work...what is the context of your fear of eyes?

It's difficult to explain. I have this fear in phases. I also have OCD which I believe does not help when you have phobias as you kind of get caught in the cycle of thinking about not thinking....

When I'm in my phase, my fear of eyes is awful. Looking at someone's eyes makes me feel sick, feel much anxiety and dread. It has nothing to do with shyness for me. Somehow, the eye looks to me like a strange object and it's because I feel this strangeness that the anxiety kicks in. I have taken SSRI's and it helped me tremendously, the fear went away, I could look at eyes and think what complete nonsense that used to be....but now and then it comes back. I am off SSRI,s now and starting a new medication. I find that when I have more anxiety for some reason,the fear of eyes gets worse and I focus on it more. I have been reassured that it was nothing psychotic but the feeling of dread and unreality in regards to the nonsense of it just makes me want to panic big time....it's really rough because you can't avoid people! You have to deal with people on a daily basis...it's not like it was a toe or something. I'm not minimizing other phobias, but I do wish it were something else....no offence to anyone. I'M just venting out.

Sincerely,
J.

[Catwoman]

I am sorry to hear about your phobia, that must make things very difficult for you. Have you tried looking on the web to see if there are other sufferers?
I guess trying to get better would be similar to the exposure theory of trying to look at photos of eyes, etc... getting used to them.
Although I know its really not as easy as that!

Sue

[Deadgirl]

if it helps, i kind of understand, i go through phases of fearing my own reflection in the mirror, particularly the eyes, it feels like its looking through me, i had never felt so uncomfortable about eyes before, but only my own reflections, i tend to conquer it by just staring in the mirror at them, maybe if you could get some eye pictures and slowly try to desinsitise yourself?

[meems12345]

Hi...I'm new here:) Would like some help. I'd like to know if there is anyone on this board who has ommatophobia (fear of eyes) or who knows someone who does... I have this phobia since age 16, am now 38 and would really like to find someone who has this as I have NEVER heard of anyone with this phobia. What a relief it would be to know someone out there understands me.

Sincerely,
Ommatopro








I HAVE THIS PHOBIA.

[celticgoddess0222]

I so totally have this phobia, and I can't really pin when it was triggered but I just turned 19 and I can't shake it. Il ove eyes in general and think they are one of the most beautiful features of the human body but my fear is anything abnormal happening to eyes. I can think of a few situations that have totally freaked me out one of which gave me a panick attack (and never had I had one until then) but I won't go into detail as I know how awful this phobia is and if anyone has as graphic a mind as I do you can picture it in your head and it makes you sick to your stomach. I really am not bothered by any other fears really at least I can shrug them off, but this one I can not back down from to save my life. If anyone wants to talk to me personally about this and about the things that trigger my phobia to help me understand and connect with other people with this fear I would sooooo appreciate it :) thanx

[sd1017]

I have a fear sort of like this one. Instead of eyes in general, my phobia has to do with pupils. More specifically, abnormality of pupils. I am constantly checking to make sure my pupils are the same size and fly into a panic if there is even a slight difference. My fiance once had one pupil larger than other, and it caused me so much anxiety I made him see and eye doctor and get a CT scan. (He was fine.) I can't go to the eye doctor because they dilate your pupils for the exam and the thought of my pupils like that scares me so much I am actually reduced to tears. Which sounds really pathetic. Sometimes this phobia is so debilitating I can't even look people in the eyes for fear their pupils might look too large or too small considering the light source, or that they may be different sizes. I am also terrified of going blind. Eyes are a real source of anxiety for me. If mine are even bloodshot I get uncomfortable.

I have had anxiety and panic attacks since I was nine and have been on medication since that time. I *think* I know where this fear came from. In 7th grade, a student I was friends with sprayed an asthma inhaler in his eye, (how stupid, right?) and it caused one pupil to pinpoint and the other to dilate so bad the iris couldn't be seen. When I told my mom about it, she was concerned that he may have a brain tumor. Ever since then, pupils have been a source of fear. Probably ties to my fear of brain tumors, too. I think the pupil fear and brain tumor fear are closely linked for this reason.

I have yet to hear of anyone having a pupil related fear. However, I can relate to a phobia about eyes. You are definitely not alone.

[celticgoddess0222]

Yeah I would say that the pupil fear is a legitimate one, I just happen to see alot of trauma to eyes and can't handle it I really freak out. My boyfriend got something in his eye one day and it took all the will power I had *and love lol* to muster up the strength to look at it and see ick if anything was in it ewwww. I Just think that aside from my hands that my eyes are the most precious thing to me and the thought of any kind of eye trauma, or foreign objects near eyes is enough to make me cringe (makeup in under my control but NO ONE else can come near my eyes with anything.) I think that my fear stems from a long time ago but I am not quite sure. All I know is that it really sucks because horror movies LOVE LOVE LOOOOVE to throw my biggest fear in the mix in some gorey scene and its enough to make me wanna cry/hurl. Saw 2 I won't watch NO WAY! My boyfriend used to think my fear was silly at first but now if anything surprise attacks me and he isn't aware to warn me he really does feel bad because other then this eye trauma phobia I am pretty tough nothing else bugs me too much. I just wish I could lessen this fear or something because it really does surface alot in day to day things that other people never really realize, and I HATE when people find out that u are afraid of eyes/ things happening to eyes in my case (I love eyes in general, just trauma to them ugh) they always seem to think its funny to flip eyelids or do something cruel. People don't look at this fear as similar to a fear of snakes/ rats/ insects/ heights/ claustrophobia. Most people think it's pretty silly but if you really think about it your eyes are SOOOOOO precious, I think its a fear that makes sense, but people that don't have this phobia don't really get it unfortunately. Well anyone else have any input I would be glad to hear from you and thankyou sd1017 for your response I was beginning to think no one else really related too much but I feel your pain and I wish we could sort this out but ugh I know its easier said than done. ttyl :)

[Fira-Infinity]

I thought I was alone in this. I am scared of eyes, but also fascinated by them. I don't understand myself. The way eyes look at you, sometimes it feels like you are being "looked at" more than you "are looking" at them.
It's a mind VS mind kind of thing. It bothers me considerably--I can't even look at my own family members in the eye! When I do so, I'm ALWAYS uncomfortable. I try not to show it, but it really bothers me. When I look at people in the eye, it's almost like ...like holding my breath.
People think I'm shy, or hiding something, but I'm not. I just can't stand the concept that the pupils are not just superficial drawings, but actually go into the person, and furthermore, that your image is being perceived by another person.

I think I recall I had a nightmare when I was 5, which, like all my notable dreams and nightmares, I recall vividly to this day (22 years old now).
That nightmare made me more aware of eyes. Since others are just like me and suffer from the same problem, I will not explain the nightmare.

But I believe it may have set off a heightened sensitivity to eyes. What's really strange (and this I don't understand at all), is that it's not a simple "fear" of eyes. Eyes in my opinion, can be very arousing too. There is something about them that can make them very primal. It's almost like they are as private as ...private parts. It's kind of disturbing to me, but I have to admit that when you engage in eye contact, it's like....having sex with that person. You can sense them, you can see what they have gone through? Feel them? it's odd, and difficult to deal with. DOES ANYBODY know what I mean?!? :blush:

Overall, I think it helps to have an "I'm wearing sunglasses" mentality. :shades:Doesn't it feel great when you are wearing sunglasses so dark, nobody can see YOUR eyes, but you can see all of their eyes? If you take that mentality to heart and practice it, it helps.

I think I will try to take my fear and turn it into an obsession.

Also, I hate to say it, but it helps if you can "overpower" the other person whom you are making eye contact with. If you can intimidate them, and you catch on to their reaction, then you are the "dominant" and they are the "submissive", in terms of eye contact. It helps me.

The other day, for example, I was at a pet shop. And I saw a natural blonde-hair girl who works there, and recognized her immediately when she turned her face to me and I saw that her eye color was a honey (kind of yellow) color.

For once, my fascination overcame my fear, and I found myself LIBERALLY LOOKING at her eyes...! and when I did, *she* became the shy one! It felt so good, you wouldn't imagine. I saw I made her uncomfortable, that was such a breath of fresh air for me.

Any other thoughts people? My heart is beating fast thinking about eyes. I've never felt so strongly about them before. Call me nuts but I started out being fearful and now my feelings fluctuated and I'm aroused. Could there be a link between fear and arousal?
Any thoughts on the Mind VS Mind thing? Or eye contact being literally intimate and private (like sex)? Or the sunglasses mentality?

Any experiments with mirrors or magnifying lenses?

[suzy-sue]

There is a saying That "the eyes are the window to your soul " They can tell you so much .They are very sensuous and if you are very clever you neednt say a word to convey how you feel .The eyes tell all .Wearing sunglasses hides your feelings and makes you feel more comfortable and self protected somehow .Interesting subject .. Sue

[Chestnut]

i think i might have this phobia, but i'm just scared of big eyes. Once, a teacher with really big eyes asked me a question, and my mind went blank and i had a panic attack. :unsure:

[CharlieHakes]

I do! I've had it for as long as I can remember! I hate it when people touch their eyes, when I get something in my eye, and especially when people are looking at my eyes while they are talking to me, which can be particularly awkward :wacko:..

I get a dry mouth and can't talk properly when I'm confronted with any of those things, and I start sweating and shaking. I thought I must be the only person with this phobia, so I'm glad I'm not on my own :)

[Lousicle]

Wow this was really interesting to read. :)
So like what about your own eyes? Do they freak u out or is it just looking at their people's? Sorry you have to deal with this phobia :(

[PanchoGoz]

Loads of people just joined the forum to write on this thread throughout time... all new people. They must have all thought they were alone with it. Shame they didn't stick around and tell us more!
My dad won't have anything touch his eyes.
Whatever you guys do, don't watch the film Un Chien Andalou as you will just.....eugh. no don't like thinking about it but it has mutilated eyes.

[Floyd1979]

Hi there, I noticed you posted that in '07' so you're probably not on this site anymore. I have so much in common with you. I started developing a fear of eyes at the age of 17. All of a sudden, I would walk to my lunch table at school and for the first time ever, I would feel unsettled and I would avoid eye contact with the girls at my table. I remember thinking "what the hell is going on in my brain all of a sudden?". It literally came out of nowhere and gets increasingly worse every year. I'm fortunate to have friends that stand by me no matter what. I'm otherwise not shy at all. I love crowds but it depends on the situation. I can be shoulder to shoulder at a concert and comfortable since we're all facing the same direction. Or, I could be on a one-on-one date and literally dying inside. My new strategy is to wear my glasses (very strong perscription) and take them off after I order from the menu. Everything is blurry and it's FANTASTIC. Wish I discovered that years ago, lol. Anyway, I noticed that you tried medications with success. I was hoping you could fill me in a little more about that. I'm a big fan of wearing sunglasses which is why I love the summertime. When I have sunglasses on, my true personality comes out since I'm not clouded by fear. When I work out a lot, it helps, but I still have a loooong way to go. Thanks so much.