What do you see when you close your eyes?

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This refers to the situation at night, in the dark, with your eyes closed, but conscious and not sleeping. The colors and patterns you see are known as phosphenes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphene. Surprisingly, there are very few images/videos of phosphenes online.

Here are some that I have found:

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

(F)


There are also some videos:
(G)

(H)


Then, there is this article about closed-eye hallucination: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-eye_hallucination which describes 5 levels of closed-eye visualization:
Level 1: Visual noise
Level 2: Light/dark flashes
Level 3: Patterns, motion, and color
Level 4: Objects and things
Level 5: Overriding physical perception

I think I am always at level 3. I guess what I see is what other people describe as "hallucination," but I wouldn't describe it as hallucination, because it's what I see, all the time. I either see concentric purple and green patches (not perfectly circular rings), or zebra-style stripes of purple and green color. In the first case, the patches move inwards, and in the second case, the stripes move, you could almost say they dance. The "dancing zebra stripes" case is somewhat similar to (F), but with a lot more green stripes. The video (H) kind of describes the mechanics of "dancing," but again, is not precisely what I see.

From the images and videos I've been able to found, I realize that everyone sees something different. None of the images/videos above matches precisely with my personal experience.

I checked with my daughter and surprisingly her case is very close to my case (at least the case of concentric patches in purple and green, though she described her green as yellow-green.) My son says he sees dancing zebra stripes, but in four colors: black, white, blue, and green. He was very clear that he saw blue color, not purple color.

What do you see? I am just wondering whether autistic people tend to see similar colors/patterns.

I am not diagnosed, just suspected ASD, but I see sort of static/stars, but with an overlay of lighter and darker patches of dark yellowy-green and black "sky" if that makes sense.

No diagnosis on me but online tests says 50/50 so maybe I'm some sort of hybrid. I see electric colors (blue/yellow/red). Like PoseyBuster88 I see them in shapes of stars but mostly long electric flashes that are static and hard to focus on. A and E is somewhat close. Mostly black space though. I don't think I could sleep if I had to watch zebra stripes. I get dizzy just watching the images.

I'm glad you posted this. On days I don't look at a computer screen when I am going to bed at night I get closed eye hallucinations. Are dreams hallucinations?

Mine are extremely vivid and the images I see look like some modern art sculpture (3d) and they move/transform. I also see scenes of people or places that seem like I am actually there and seeing it.

In the past before I quit anti-depressants I used to have daytime parahypnogogia.

Something similar to A, but in various shapes.

I see EXACTLY image E, the yellow sun-like donut. What does this mean?

I see tiny dots (the usual visual static I also see with my eyes open) and blooming spots of dark colors. Recently I’ve also begun to occasionally see patterns, like little grid boxes or tiny scales. Never any bright colors. Don’t think I’ve ever gone past that without dreaming.

Alan Partridge.

I see Alan Partridge.




I need help

I see a lot of black, red and yellow when I first close my eyes and than it changes to green and blue lava.

When I close my eyes, I see this:

Phosphenes? Finally found a word for.. THAT!

Seeing?
Now? Some darker version of this;


Seen many variations of these and OP samples.

Why?
Could be anything and I happened to be very prone at it even without having to close my eyes.
Due to frequent sneezing, low blood pressure, visual overstimulation, sensitivities and irritated enough to rub my eyes like a habit...



Level of hallucinations? Unsure...
Mostly level 3, and sometimes without closing my eyes.
All I had to do, is focus hard and long enough at anything I could stare, then there will be motions and patterns.
It is something I do encounter every night, even at times I spent hours lying on bed and unable to fall asleep.

Level 4 happened for me in very few occasions while meditating.
Currently all involuntary like it came to me, as opposed to it coming from me. And it's very vivid too.

Level 5? Outside dreaming, unsure.

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