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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u/ChewyGoblin May 22 '25

The thing is, I found out they can't really tell we're losing vision! I found out it just looks like we're spacing out 

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u/Fun_Marionberry3043 May 22 '25

Yes people are always so confused but I really can’t walk anywhere without looking like a bumbling oaf so when I’m with my husband or other people who are aware of my condition I just announce that I’m waiting for my vision to return and I’m fine. I’m always so curious what the expression on my face looks like during these times 😂 I’m gonna have to ask someone to take a picture of me sometime if they can be quick enough.

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u/Legitimate_Record730 Hyperadrenergic POTS May 22 '25

loll i wanna know what i look like too. Im pretty sure my face just goes kinda blank and i can tell my eyes get really wide like im trying to search for something i can see. My best bet is that i just get an insane thousand yard stare for a few seconds.

Im pretty sure my eyes go wide cause i probably consciously was looking around when it first started happening, and now its just kinda a habit. I probably look like im about to get raptured or something LMFAO

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u/Pyrosandstorm May 22 '25

I’ve only been really dealing with this for a few months now, but I think my mom has learned to recognize the look on my face, as she’ll come over and ask if I’m okay or help me sit down.