Visual Snow Syndrome in Patient with Migraine: Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Visual snow syndrome (VSS) is a rarely diagnosed neurological phenomenon. It is a visual disorder characterised by the presence of numerous white, black, or translucent dots in the visual field, resembling the ‘snow’ of an analogue TV set experiencing reception interference. According to The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, visual snow is defined as a pattern of continuous small dots across the visual field lasting >3 months and accompanied by at least two of the following four additional symptoms: palinopsia, increased entoptic phenomena, photophobia, and nyctalopia. These complaints are not consistent with a typical migraine with visual aura and cannot be better explained by another disorder. The authors present the case of a 39-year-old woman who was diagnosed with VSS. The symptoms appeared after a migraine attack and had not alleviated. The patient reported a sensation of constant ‘TV screen snow’. A neurological examination found no signs of focal damage to the nervous system. The results of the ophthalmological examination, MRI of the brain with contrast, MRI of the eye sockets, and EEG were normal. VSS is a phenomenon that is still not fully understood, different from migraine aura and associated with a number of additional symptoms. VSS is very difficult to treat. In this case, a lot of drugs were used without improvement. Further research must be conducted to determine the best treatment options for these patients.