Obsessed with looking for visual disturbances

[jamie]

Hello everyone, over the past few months I have found it extremely difficult to stop looking for visual irregularities since first noticing them in February and now it seems like they are more pronounced than they could ever have been before. Mostly I am having trouble with afterimages and eye floaters but I also see "visual snow" or static or whatever. I am reasoning with myself every day that these are things that many people have in their vision but most people's brains filter it out so if I stop focussing on it I will eventually ignore it. It's just very hard not to focus on it. Every morning the static is the first thing that I see when I open my eyes. Even when I am watching telly and then look away at the wall I get a defined TV-shaped negative afterimage on the wall for 10 seconds or so. It feels impossible not to fixate when you see something like that, especially because I'm thinking, well.... how do I know it's not a sign of something serious? I've been three times to the optometrist and they said everything is fine, but unfortunately that doesn't stop me from seeing this stuff.

Has anybody else been through something similar?

Thanks

[Sparkling_Fairy]

I have had this my whole life! When I look at the TV and then look away, I always see the image projected for 10 seconds or so (especially if it's a white wall). When I look through venetian blinds outside, when I then look at the wall I also see the lines across the wall for a while. I often think it's raining because I see lines coming down from the sky, and it actually isn't raining.
I've honestly never worried about this. I've had it for so long, it never occurred me it wasn't normal. I also have floaters. And I have astigmatism. I honestly always chalked it down to my astigmatism. But even if that's not it, it's clearly nothing to worry about, or I'd be long dead!

[Fishmanpa]

What you describe are all normal visual anomalies that every one, if they hyper-focus on it, will notice. There are pages of similar threads and again, it comes down to the hyper-focusing behavior and the subsequent ruminations of the HA mind.

FMP

[TheArcher90]

I could've written this! I am hyper vigilant with my eyes lately and I do have long sightedness and astigmatism that come into play but I'm always wondering if my eyes are normal or worrying they may blur or double vision at any moment. I had eyes tested a month ago but my anxiety still shouts what if.

[Lencoboy]

I've been known to get certain symptoms described in the OP every now and then ever since I can remember, but none of them so far have ever adversely affected me in a big way.

I reckon they're probably natural and nothing really much to worry about if only experienced occasionally, but if such symptoms are virtually constant day in day out, day after day, and seriously interfering with one's daily routines in detrimental ways then it's quite justifiably some reason for concern where expert medical advice should ultimately be sought.

[jamie]

It can be concerning when you first notice it can't it �� good to know that you have the same and you are fine. I just wish I could stop actively "seeing" it. Like if I could just let it happen and not get fixated on it it'd be much easier

[jamie]

What you describe are all normal visual anomalies that every one, if they hyper-focus on it, will notice. There are pages of similar threads and again, it comes down to the hyper-focusing behavior and the subsequent ruminations of the HA mind.

FMP

Thank you FMP I just need to try not to focus on it but it is a struggle.

[jamie]

I could've written this! I am hyper vigilant with my eyes lately and I do have long sightedness and astigmatism that come into play but I'm always wondering if my eyes are normal or worrying they may blur or double vision at any moment. I had eyes tested a month ago but my anxiety still shouts what if.

I am the same and having my eyes tested and results coming back healthy soon feels like cold comfort. The what ifs are loud especially when it concerns your primary sensory input. There are a lot of threads on here about the same issue, it seems we are exacerbating our problems by fixating on them. I am trying to move on by distracting myself with other things, however menial they may be. Good luck :)

[jamie]

I've been known to get certain symptoms described in the OP every now and then ever since I can remember, but none of them so far have ever adversely affected me in a big way.

I reckon they're probably natural and nothing really much to worry about if only experienced occasionally, but if such symptoms are virtually constant day in day out, day after day, and seriously interfering with one's daily routines in detrimental ways then it's quite justifiably some reason for concern where expert medical advice should ultimately be sought.

I think so too, but unfortunately they are happening every day because I check for them every day, I keep reminding myself it's natural but that doesn't prevent me from still checking