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Our consultant leading a pioneering study tackling visual snow


A new study led by our consultant neurologist and neuro-ophthalmologist Dr Sui Wong is examining the role of mindfulness in potentially helping patients with visual snow syndrome. It’s a joint project by Moorfields Eye Hospital and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trusts funded by the Visual Snow Initiative.

The study uses mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on people with visual snow syndrome who have never previously practiced the technique to establish if MBCT can help them improve their symptoms.

The visual snow syndrome is a neurological condition which affects how the brain integrates the images people see. People with visual snow report persistent flickering white, black, transparent or coloured dots, which can appear like static from an old TV, or as though they are looking through a snow globe. It can be a debilitating condition for which there is currently no cure, and it is often associated with migraine and tinnitus.

The study aims to re-train the brain of people with visual snow to remove their static-type images. This builds on an earlier feasibility study published in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology and which was carried out by the same team, funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, EyeHope and the Visual Snow Initiative. It featured an eight-week course of MBCT in small groups followed up with functional MRI scans for some participants. Participants reported improvements to their vision, and this was reflected in the results of the functional MRI scans.

Dr Wong said: “This research uses mindfulness training as a potential treatment for visual snow. Our feasibility study on functional MRI scans already showed it can improve visual snow symptoms, correlating with a change in the brain’s visual network – like a form of brain training to modify brain pathways. In the new study, we will test how mindfulness can improve the brain’s visual network to filter out the unwanted images to improve or resolve symptoms of visual snow syndrome.“

Wong, Sui

Dr Sui Wong is an expert in visual pathway disorders including visual snow syndrome.

Patients can be referred or self-refer to her for clinical assessment or for suspected diagnosis.

People with visual snow can apply to take part in the new research. They should have severe visual snow as diagnosed by an ophthalmologist, neurologist or neuro-ophthalmologist and have not previously undertaken mindfulness.

There is more information at www.MBCT-vision.co.uk.

This research demonstrates collaboration across the NHS, with functional MRIs undertaken at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the Institute of Neurology, University College London.