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Is it normal to see this static when you close your eyes?

⁨412⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Stacyasks@lemmy.cafe⁩ to ⁨nostupidquestions@lemmy.world⁩

https://lemmy.cafe/pictrs/image/a1fbccbc-efbd-46b9-b343-b9da759876be.gif

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Comments

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  • dsilverz@calckey.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    @Stacyasks@lemmy.cafe @nostupidquestions@lemmy.world

    Yes. It's called "Eigengrau" and it happens due to the adaptation of the eye amidst the darkness.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eigengrau

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    • MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      The indistinguishability of dark events from photon responses supports this explanation because rhodopsin is at the input of the transduction chain. On the other hand, processes such as the spontaneous release of neurotransmitters cannot be completely ruled out.

      Image

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    • sbeak@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      So it’s like when a camera doesn’t have enough light to properly take a photo, producing a lot of grain. Like when you have a high ISO when taking a photo/video in a dark room, it looks very grainy. I guess the eye is still adjusting its “exposure” if you see some of this graininess in the dark (or when you close your eyes?)

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      • 14th_cylon@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        the brain is always trying to find pattern in incomplete data. one of the explanations i have seen is that when our ancestors were sitting around the fire, those who saw the tiger or something lurking in the dark had better chance to pass their genes than those who didn’t.

        it is why we are seeing patterns in clouds and random geometrical shapes on walls and stuff like that.

        en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophenia

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    • ImminentOrbit@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      This is what the night sky starts to look like when I try to look at stars

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  • youCanCallMeDragon@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    This is a normal closed eye hallucination level 1 on this Wikipedia page

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-eye_hallucination

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    • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Oh shit that’s why I can like make shapes and shit when I’m like in deep relaxation

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      • deranger@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Ever try one of those float tanks? They’re really good for that.

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    • DaTingGoBrrr@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      They also mention it on the wiki page but I could see fractals and different patterns when I closed my eyes while on shrooms.

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  • ameancow@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Yes, it’s random firings of light receptors from the absolute ocean of potential stimulators for such sensitive cells and such sensitive neurons that connect them to your brain.

    Your brain does a profoundly involved job at every moment editing your visual input into a coherent, moving picture, but your brain edits out a LOT of interference and noise every moment.

    If you really wanna blow your mind and prove it, make a pinhole in a card and in a dark room and look towards a light source. If you wiggle the pinhole light beam across your retina you will suddenly see all the blood vessels that feed your retina. Evolution decided it would put them on the front for some reason, but your brain normally makes it literally disappear for you. When you wiggle the shadows of the vessels, your brain forgets how to edit it and they appear like a mass of floater-spaghetti.

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    • Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      If you really wanna blow your mind and prove it

      You can also see them by holding a (not too bright) flashlight against your cheekbone and pointing the beam at your eye. The light needs to come from right below and you might need to move it around a little until you get the angle just right.

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    • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      that’s what that is? cool.

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    • madjo@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      For that edit you now have to breath manually!

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      • ameancow@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Jokes on you, I’ve never stopped. AND Good news everyone, you read this in Farnsworth’s voice!

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    • FosterMolasses@leminal.space ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Oooo, cool!

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  • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Probably just your tuner that’s unplugged. Feel around for any loose wires.

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    • madjo@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Or “upgrade” to digital, the downside to that is that you either have vision or no vision at all if reception is kinda weak.

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  • rustydrd@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    This is just the result of neurons firing and chemical reactions taking place, and it’s normal. Personally, for me it depends on my state of mind when I try to sleep. When agitated, I see noise like in your picture. When calm, I see flat, colorful shapes with soft edges that float around and change shape more or less rapidly (kind of like a lava lamp).

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    • Draegur@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Ohhh yeahhhh the lava lamp like ones are cool. Sometimes vague impressions of cyan and red, sometimes propagating in waves. I’m so glad other people are describing it!

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      • rustydrd@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I also find them really helpful for falling asleep. Sometimes when I feel stressed and see mostly noise, I’ll try to spot the color shapes and focus on them. It’s kind of meditative and helps me fall asleep faster.

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    • Zetta@mander.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Mine can vary wildly dependsing on what kind and the quantity of psychoactive substance I’ve taken.

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    • RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Vision floaties?

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  • ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I think it’s called visual snow, and it’s normal.

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    • justastranger@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Seconding this. It’s not incredibly common but it’s not incredibly uncommon. Research shows that most people who have it don’t notice it until it’s pointed out. Drugs and stress tend to exacerbate the effect as well.

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    • LwL@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Visual snow is when you see it with eyes open afaik. But yea, still not terribly abnormal on its own. Visual snow syndrome is a thing though, but it’s more than just seeing an abnormal amount of visual snow (the normal amount seems to be when looking at unicolored surfaces and in dim light).

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    • quick_snail@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Just don’t snowcrash

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  • cley_faye@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Better than seeing weird letters and 80 style colored geometric shape sliding around.

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    • hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I only get patterns (usually floral-ish) if I press my eyes a little. You guys are getting them for free?!

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    • deus@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Here’s an artist’s impression of what that might look like.

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  • DarkAri@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    You have too much gain.

    But yeah it’s normal.

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  • rumba@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I see pulsing waves of color, even in pitch black rooms. When I was little they were bright as fireworks, now, depending on the night they’re either just vaguely waves of purple, grey, and blue or sometimes electric blue and white.

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    • QuantumTickle@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I was recently reading about this because I discovered there’s a name for that: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner's_cinema

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      • rumba@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        crazy!

        What I see is very close to this:

        www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL3kVtc-4vY

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  • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Yes, and if you GENTLY press on your eyelids you can make other colors happen.

    Also if you stare at a clear sky, NOT AT THE SUN, or at a bluish wall, you may see little swirly things, it’s the white blood cells in your retinas swimming around.

    (Blue field entoptic phenomenon - Wikipedia share.google/MveakONY2KB3QXUUh)

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  • 87Six@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Bro is a CRT

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  • BanMe@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Purple, green, pinks and oranges (that’s the blood in my eyelids I think). If I rub my eyes, the pixellated screensavers get wild, which I think means you’re not supposed to do that.

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  • Mediocre_Bard@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The static yes, the purple no.

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    • Korhaka@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      That shade of purple seems a bit off, but you might see colours depending on the light going through your eyelids

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  • wide_eyed_stupid@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I always assumed everyone saw it. I’m not special after all.

    Though mine is gray, definitely not purple.

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    • mental_block@lemmy.wtf ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      That gray is unique to individual. And if course has its German term. Similar to the other links floating about in this thread.

      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eigengrau

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      • wide_eyed_stupid@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Of course it does. Germans have a word for everything.

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    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      i had it intensely when i also developed other neurological issues like peripheral neuropaty, and palinopsia(afterimage)although symptom was temporary. now its more of a background if i concentrate hard enough i see snow.

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  • NarrativeBear@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Welcome to the simulation

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    • neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I wish it was still 1999 :(

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      • MadMadBunny@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Can I offer you a blue pill in this trying time?

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  • card797@champserver.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    From m’eye experience. Yes.

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  • dragonfucker@lemmy.nz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-eye_hallucination

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  • communist@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Uhhh everyone is saying this is normal and I don’t have it…

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    • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      it’s too bright in the room i’m in currently, but i get it at night

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    • YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Same. Had to check, but yeah, no purple static. Just nothingness.

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    • XeroxCool@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      It happens to me at night because not only does it have to be quite dark, I audio need to be dork dark adapted. Your pupil is part of your dark adaption and widens in a mater of seconds. However, your receptors also get doped with rhodopsin, which takes up to 20 minutes to full replenish (blue/uv light bleachers rhodopsin). It’s like being able to lower the F-stop on a camera like normal, but taking 20 minutes to raise the ISO

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    • Snowpix@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I have it, but there’s no purple. Just a sea of red and green dots.

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  • Adderbox76@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    What you’re seeing is the inner workings of the holographic universe we inhabit. Your brain interprets the signal as static.

    /Obviously I’m not serious…

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    • tree_frog_and_rain@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      But you’re right.

      Only the hologram is produced by the nervous system. Not God’s super computer or whatever.

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      • Adderbox76@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I mean, I guess that’s true in a peculirar sort of way in which nothing really exists outside of our perception of it.

        What I mean by that is that whatever we see, hear, taste, etc… is merely neurons firing in our brain, processing a signal that it receives. So if we’re looking at a tree for example; that tree is just light/energy waves vibrating on a specific frequency. It’s only when it hits our optic nerve and travels to our brain that it’s translating into something that we call a “tree”.

        So when the eyes are closed, the random interference pattern could indeed be interpreted as you say. Goog catch. Kind of makes you wonder.

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  • arsCynic@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Yes. I “see” it too but can unsee it quite easily. I think it’s more apparent in unlit environments.

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    • QuinnyCoded@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      i see it more when I look up at the bright blue sky or a bright white wall

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      • arsCynic@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Hm okay. I’ll check again in six months when Belgium isn’t a depressing film Noir scene straight from Max Payne 1 & 2.

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  • Meron35@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    If you see this when your eyes are open then it may be visual snow.

    Visual snow syndrome - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_snow_syndrome

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    • DrWorm@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I have this… I just thought this was normal vision. I hate my eyes 😔

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      • Cenotaph@mander.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        So did we all, friend. You’re one of the tv static people now. Welcomd

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    • SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      What if you can at-will toggle the perception?

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  • thermal_shock@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I can make static if I squeeze my eyes very tightly, sometimes spots. No one i asked when I was little had the same results. Haven’t thought about it in a long time.

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  • QuinnyCoded@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    for the topic of discussion it might be worthwhile to also look into en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphantasia

    1/10 people have it and have no idea it’s not normal, my sister and mother too

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  • TheTurner@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I see patterns and colors. Almost like a screensaver.

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  • foodandart@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Yeah, though mine doesn’t flicker as fast - it kinds moves in slow waves.

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  • AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    If there’s no light, you should see eigengrau.

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  • BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I personally don’t see it as intensively

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  • Venator@lemmy.nz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    probably caused by some small amount of light getting through your eyelids , or random noise in your nerves

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  • user224@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I do.

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  • chunes@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    everyone says this is normal but i’ve never seen it. am i cooked

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