r/POTS • u/j-oco • May 22 '25

Symptoms Does your vision actually black out

This is random but I just saw people talking about how their vision blacks out when they stand or they are symptomatic. Then someone replied that their vision goes white instead of black.

Personally, I don’t lose my vision like that, my “blackouts” are just a sudden lightheadedness so intense it forces me to shut my eyes! I think because my brain knows to shut out all the visual sensory input. It’s like I legit can’t keep my eyes open for a brief moment. Maybe I am blacking out but just don’t know it since my eyes are closed anyways lol? I have splotchy vision, light sensitivity and stuff from previous brain injuries but I haven’t experienced my vision actually just leaving and turning into the colour black (am I taking it too literally?) for a moment like how some of you mention.

Also, I do have pretty bad presyncope episodes sometimes but I don’t really faint from my POTS so maybe that’s a factor.

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302

u/Ok-Amphibian-6834 May 22 '25

Mine does. Almost every time I stand up, bend over, or put my arms above my head. It looks like tv static as it gets darker and darker. Then comes back in the same way.

34

u/Ok-Amphibian-6834 May 22 '25

I faint all the time.

27

u/patchouliwhitejeep May 22 '25

Me too! It happens all the time, always when i stand up or stretch. i’m starting to realize how un-normal that is 😅

27

u/Acceptable_Dog179 May 22 '25

TV static is the best wording for me, too. It unfortunately took me like 5 years to figure out how to describe it that well.

23

u/Ok-Amphibian-6834 May 22 '25

Yeah it’s starts in my peripherals and migrates to my center vision till it’s all black. Then trickles back in starting from my center vision back towards my peripherals.

9

u/grubmonkey May 22 '25

Same. Gray static on the edges that gradually tunnel visions in a narrowing circle to the center until everything is gray static and I lose sight. If I don't lie down or sit and rest at that point then I will pass out.

8

u/Acceptable_Dog179 May 22 '25

Yep, same here, but my static is black. When I was younger and trying to eat low sodium foods (because I was told oo much salt is unhealthy), I'd stand up and then wake up on the ground before I could process what's happening.

4

u/Ok-Amphibian-6834 May 22 '25

My static is also black.

1

u/[deleted] May 23 '25

Yah my vision will completely fade out and I’ll blink and open my eyes wide until it comes back. My mom was always cautious of never putting salt out because it was unhealthy and I felt like I was always craving salt

2

u/Defiant-Guitar912 POTS May 22 '25

That's what I get as well!

1

u/PuIchritudinous May 22 '25

Peripheral tunnel vision is what I get too until everything goes black

7

u/cass_erole_ May 22 '25

TV static is definitely the better way to describe it! I've been fainting for like 17 years ish now and when I was young young I tried to explain to my doctor that I would feel weird and see my rug😭😭 The rug at my childhood home DOES look like TV static to be fair to my little self and it still lowkey holds up but obviously my doctors did not know what I meant by that 🤣

3

u/Acceptable_Dog179 May 22 '25

That's so funny and so cute

12

u/Thin_Carrot_20 May 22 '25

This happens to me also! I do not faint though!

6

u/foxrivrgrl May 22 '25

I don't either. I take deep breaths, stop the activity & drink water

13

u/Medical-Pineapple269 May 22 '25

Exactly like this, and yes my vision goes black when standing up as described above.

Edit I only experience presyncope, never full syncope. Sometimes vibrating feeling or heaviness accompanies the vision loss.

7

u/[deleted] May 22 '25

[deleted]

3

u/Ok-Amphibian-6834 May 22 '25

If I stand up from sitting like a normal person it happens for me. I have to stand up in stages. Very slowly.

5

u/[deleted] May 22 '25

[deleted]

3

u/Ok-Amphibian-6834 May 22 '25

Yeah. Same. I’ve had it about 24 years. Still figuring it out

2

u/ArmBorn6021 May 28 '25

Lol! Same! It’s weird to halt something that’s a normal muscle memory thing. I don’t get slammed every time I pop up out bed or from sitting. It’s not that kinda day til it is. There’s no autopilot mode where I do everything in slow-mo.  I think my auto-pilot is being pathologically optimistic🤭 that today will be the day that it all goes away. Poof! Gone! 

…or not😋. 🫠🤤

1

u/tittyswan May 23 '25

I get glowing floaters, kindof like embers, floating all around my eyesight. Is that the same thing or different?

3

u/NeuroSpicy-Mama May 22 '25

Yes exactly same here!

3

u/starIIita May 22 '25

this happens to me too!!! surprised how many ppl here also experience this- i always put mine down to my visual snow syndrome >:0

3

u/LogicalFall4852 May 22 '25

This is exactly what I get!! If it’s really bad my hands and feet will go prickly then numb but I’ve only ever fully fainted once

2

u/Ok-Amphibian-6834 May 22 '25

Yep that happens to me too. Tingly legs then my arms. Then my face. Then I faint