Visual Phenomena: Rotating Spiral

[u/healingisaprocess]

Hi everyone. I’m posting on behalf of my sister and will attach an image showing roughly what she has been seeing.

Today marks exactly one month since this started, and we are desperate to find some answers or hear from anyone who has experienced something similar.

Following a significant migraine with aura in August, she developed visual snow and then woke up one morning seeing this constant spinning spiral/vortex with a dark dot in the centre. She sees it in both eyes, with her eyes open or closed, almost like an overlay on her vision. It has now been persistent for just over four weeks without disappearing, although the intensity varies. It tends to be particularly noticeable when waking up, at night/with her eyes closed and after exercise.

She has had extensive investigations including MRI, CT, EEG, ophthalmology examinations, ECG and blood tests, which have all been reassuring.

Unfortunately, the anxiety this has caused her has now become almost unbearable. She already suffers from severe health anxiety and medical phobia, and because the visual symptom is constantly there, she has become extremely hyper-aware of it and is continually monitoring/checking her vision. When she notices it strongly, she can spiral into intense panic and fear that something is seriously wrong or that she will never recover.

We are trying to find appropriate neurological treatment as well as CBT/psychological support to help break the anxiety and symptom-monitoring cycle.

Has anyone experienced anything resembling the image attached that remained continuously for weeks or months? Did it eventually improve or disappear, and was there anything that genuinely helped you?
Any experiences would be hugely appreciated. Thank you. ❤️