# Eyes wide shut (NOT the movie) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2001, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-wide-shut-not-the-movie/59197 "2001-03-23T19:47:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-wide-shut-not-the-movie/59197/1 "2001-03-23T19:47:33Z")
Why is it that, when I close my eyes extremely tight, I can see what I can only describe as “organic machinery?” I see things that look like pumps, furnaces, etc. (ie, machinery, complete with piping and all the bells and whistles) that appear to be composed out of organic material. It appears almost superimposed over the blackness that I typically see when my eyes are shut. I’ve noticed this phemonina tends to appear more during my morning shower. And it appears in different colors. Usually, it’s a beige, but it has also been green. Is this an occurance that everyone experiences. And, if so, why? ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-wide-shut-not-the-movie/59197/2 "2001-03-23T21:08:46Z")
Sound like you’re talking about phosphenes: > **[MSNBC News - Breaking News and News Today | Latest News](https://www.msnbc.com/)** > > MSNBC breaking news and the latest news for today. Get daily news from local news reporters and world news updates with live audio & video from our team. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-wide-shut-not-the-movie/59197/3 "2001-03-23T21:15:32Z")
…But not quite what I mean. I know about those, though. I can see those usually if I push on the side of my eyeball with my finger. What I mean is almost like an actual image, not just a flash of light. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-wide-shut-not-the-movie/59197/4 "2001-03-23T21:45:07Z")
I know what you’re talking about. I think the patterns have something to do with the blood vessels in your retina, but that’s only a somewhat-educated guess. The different colors are afterimages and they are changing colors depending upon the background. I’ve wasted a good many hours looking at these images. However, I usually just think it’s a big fuzzy donut. ---
**Author:** ![Tzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzel)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-wide-shut-not-the-movie/59197/5 "2001-03-23T23:28:00Z")
I used to do this a lot as a kid. (Yes, I had a dull childhood, what of it?!) It usually ends up as a fuzzy donut, yes, but along the way there are often more interesting formations. I often see a column of clouds that it looks like I’m falling through. ---
**Author:** ![Boots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@Boots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boots)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-wide-shut-not-the-movie/59197/6 "2001-03-23T23:32:19Z")
I used to the see the blue and white pattern that was printed around the rim on the plates at my Grandma’s house. Similar, I think, to what you describe, although it has changed over the years and now I see less detailed images.