Glowing Worms?

[rowrrbazzle]

@Quiddity Glomfuster

It appears to be an ongoing process which I only observe when I focus my eyes a certain way against - well, really it only happens when I look at the sky, I think.

Is it more visible against a clear blue sky? Do the things tend to follow each other in paths? If so, what you’re seeing might be the blood cells traveling through your retina. Blue is a shorter wavelength which makes it easier to see small things.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/cmp/exnet/exhibits/group6/media/RG6_Pics.pdf

Corpuscles of the Eye shows visitors the blood cells of their own eye. By looking into a special cylinder, bright sparkles are visible that move with the human pulse against the blue light. These sparkles are the red corpuscles in the blood vessels that bring nourishment to the retina. It may even be possible to see these blood cells on a foggy day, but the blue light makes them especially easy to see.

I occasionally notice a not quite completely transparent “worm” moving slowly in my vision as though it’s squeezing through a narrow tube. I think that’s a large white blood cell moving through a retinal capillary.

This doesn’t really work for me, but you could try creating a pure blue image with Paint or some other utility that fills your computer screen. It might make it easier for you to see this phenomenon. Also try closing your eyes for a few seconds in front of that screen then opening one eye. For a split second you will see the net of your retinal blood vessels (really their shadow against the rest of the retina).

Also see http://amasci.com/freenrg/tors/floaters.html

[panache45]

I get these too. They’re like thousands of little glowing, shooting sperm (unlike Quiddity Glomfuster, I’m male). I get them when I’m having a coughing “fit” or a really strong sneeze. The chance of getting it is greater if I’ve recently eateh food containing MSG.

They’re not at all the same as floaters or auras. I do have high blood pressure, and have always assumed it has something to do with that.

[John_Mace]

@Polycarp

Floaters, for sure. Unless, of course, you happen to be in a cave in Waitomo, NZ.

That was my first thought when I read the title. I’ve been there!

[Quiddity_Glomfuster]

@rowrrbazzle

By looking into a special cylinder, bright sparkles are visible that move with the human pulse against the blue light. These sparkles are the red corpuscles in the blood vessels that bring nourishment to the retina. It may even be possible to see these blood cells on a foggy day, but the blue light makes them especially easy to see.

Coool! I thought it might be something like that be but couldn’t figure out why they’d be glowing and not red if they’re blood. Thanks a million

Also see http://amasci.com/freenrg/tors/floaters.html

Yes! It’s even got a name. Tremendously cool. I thought I’d noticed them coinciding with my heartbeat but wasn’t positive.

[Zoe]

I have seen something very much like what you are describing after a storm in Nashville, but it wasn’t just in my eyes. My husband and my granddaughter saw them too. Neither is prone to hysteria. Someone else present could not see them.

You did have to stare and there were thousands of them that were tiny, round, and moving. I remember them as having a sparkling or twinkling effect. You might not notice them if you didn’t know how to look for them – the same way that you might not notice a floater or a slight dirty spot on your glasses if you were looking at a distance.

That’s the only time I’ve seen them, but I am convinced that it was something atmospheric with a perfectly good scientific explanation.

Either that, or there was another explosion at the sequin mines.