Spotlight on: Daniel Sobek ???? @sobek_art
“Hey! My name’s Danny and I’ve had VSS for the past 5 years.
It all started one day when I noticed my vision was “off”. I couldn’t articulate exactly what was wrong, but I knew it couldn’t be good. Like many others, I spent over a year going to doctors and specialists, all reporting back that my eyes were perfectly fine. My visual symptoms and anxiety got worse over the next 3 years, still with no clue what was going on.
Then, I somehow stumbled upon the Visual Snow Initiative’s explainer video that breaks down all the typical symptoms. Suddenly, the static, After Images, Palinopsia, brain fog, headaches and anxiety all made sense.
It was a relief knowing that I wasn’t the only one going through it and that I wasn’t going blind. I booked an appointment with a Neuro-Ophthalmologist who finally diagnosed me with VSS.
Like most people, I have my good days and bad days. As a Graphic Designer, my eyes are constantly overstimulated and other daily tasks like driving, reading or grocery shopping are hard for me to do.
I try my best to not let it limit my daily life and still do all the things I did before VSS. It’s hard to wrap my brain around potentially having these symptoms for the rest of my life, but I’m somewhat optimistic that they’ll find some type of treatment or cure to help minimize symptoms. The Visual Snow Initiative and community continue to be invaluable. I don’t know where I’d be today if I never came across that video that led to my diagnosis and some peace of mind. To everyone going through it now, keep your head up and know that it doesn’t have to be your downfall.”
