@Stacyasks@lemmy.cafe @nostupidquestions@lemmy.world
Yes. It's called "Eigengrau" and it happens due to the adaptation of the eye amidst the darkness.
this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2025
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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.
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?)
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.
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how did you take this photo? Small camera through your ear?
They just closed their eyes and then pressed in their ear and anus to take a screenshot.
Wow that's so much easier! I've always had to pee and fart at the same time
Idk what piss poor model you guys are, but for me is sneeze & fart, much easier imo.
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This is a normal closed eye hallucination level 1 on this Wikipedia page
Oh shit that's why I can like make shapes and shit when I'm like in deep relaxation
Ever try one of those float tanks? They’re really good for that.
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Yes, it's random firings of light receptors from the absolute ocean of potential stimulators for such sensitive cells and 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.
Edit: you can suddenly see your nose. You're welcome.
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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I see a little “DVD” logo zipping around that changes colour when it bounces off the periphery of my vision.
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You have too much gain.
But yeah it's normal.
Probably just your tuner that's unplugged. Feel around for any loose wires.
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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).
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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I think it's called visual snow, and it's normal.
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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Better than seeing weird letters and 80 style colored geometric shape sliding around.
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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 https://share.google/MveakONY2KB3QXUUh)
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.
I was recently reading about this because I discovered there's a name for it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_cinema
I always assumed everyone saw it. I'm not special after all.
Though mine is gray, definitely not purple.
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Bro is a CRT
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.
Welcome to the simulation
I wish it was still 1999 :(
Can I offer you a blue pill in this trying time?
If you see this when your eyes are open then it may be visual snow.
Visual snow syndrome - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_snow_syndrome
I have this.... I just thought this was normal vision. I hate my eyes 😔
So did we all, friend. You're one of the tv static people now. Welcome
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From m'eye experience. Yes.
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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Yeah, though mine doesn't flicker as fast - it kinda moves in slow waves.
for the topic of discussion it might be worthwhile to also look into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphantasia
1/10 people have it and have no idea it's not normal, my sister and mother too
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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Does anyone else see 'the ring' when you rub your eyes and then just look at the canvas of your eyelids?
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I see patterns and colors. Almost like a screensaver.
probably caused by some small amount of light getting through your eyelids , or random noise in your nerves
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I personally don’t see it as intensively
I see brown and tan herringbone with paisley patterns blooming through it.
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