When I lie in bed at night, in total darkness, and close my eyes, I see thousands of coloured dots that swarm together and form (in my case) nighmarish pareidoliac faces, chimeras and objects.

What is the term for this phenomenon?

It is distinct from but loosely related to muscae volitantes—the floating threads and particles in the vitreous humor (also called "eye floaters"; the perception of which is known as myodesopsia). The word phosphenes comes tantilizingly close, but this describes "an aphotopic ring or spot of light produced by pressure on the eyeball" (italics mine). Pressing against one's closed lids intensifies the photisms I am trying to describe (a witch's face is fulminated in stroboscopic lightning), but is not required to produce them (the witch's face was there to begin with).

Any suggestions?


Last edited by Hydra; 06/13/07 02:44 PM.