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General Science => General Science => Topic started by: HeLa on 14/12/2007 18:01:11

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: HeLa on 14/12/2007 18:01:11

This is a question I've been wondering for awhile now...why is it that when I close my eyes I can see different shapes, spots, colors, and wiggly lines appear randomly behind my eyelids? It never happens right away. Usually I see the shapes of whatever I was just looking at for the few few minutes (or seconds? I don't know..haven't counted :) )
But then I start noticing little pinpricks and squiggly lines come across my vision...
Hopefully it's not just me, lol.

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: Karen W. on 16/12/2007 00:53:42

I don't see anything behind my eyelids when I close my eyes I am aware when a light is turned off or on. But see no spots or wiggly lines or anything but blank black nothingness!

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: RD on 17/12/2007 16:02:54

Quote from: HeLa on 14/12/2007 18:01:11

This is a question I've been wondering for awhile now...why is it that when I close my eyes I can see different shapes, spots, colors, and wiggly lines appear randomly behind my eyelids? It never happens right away. Usually I see the shapes of whatever I was just looking at for the few few minutes (or seconds? I don't know..haven't counted :) )
But then I start noticing little pinpricks and squiggly lines come across my vision...
Hopefully it's not just me, lol.

You're not alone HeLa ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterimage

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 18/12/2007 18:08:32

Your senses are continually searching for information in any environment.  If the source is suddenly cut off they will continue to do so.  There are changes that produce an afterimage which can be detected for some time and then this just deteriorates to "noise" patterns if you persist in giving that sense your attention.

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: Karen W. on 19/12/2007 21:45:30

Thats like that thing people passed around for years where you stare at this image of Jesus for two minutes or so without blinking and when you close your eyes , the image sort of appears in your minds eye so to speak or is it really your closed eyes???

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: lyner on 20/12/2007 12:28:10

I used to get tiny flashing lights moving over my vision when I got up after standing on my head and suchlike. They looked like a 'close encounters' thing. It was very pretty but I don't do that sort of thing so much now.
I always put that down to something (lactic acid?) cruising around in the blood capillaries on the retina and firing off the receptors. I don't see them normally.

The automatic gain control in your vision cranks up in the dark and, they say, your receptors fire on a single photon.

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: Karen W. on 20/12/2007 14:05:51

HUMMMMM I have never seen things like that!

Title: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: shuette on 04/03/2009 22:03:33

They are called Closed eye hallucinations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-eye_hallucination for a brief synopsis.  I have them whenever it's dark enough in the room too.  It's been normal for me to be able to control them.  Try it sometime, it's fun.

Title: Re: What causes the wiggly lines we see behind our eyelids when we close our eyes?
Post by: chris on 07/07/2017 23:42:39

Quote from: shuette on 04/03/2009 22:03:33

It's been normal for me to be able to control them.  Try it sometime, it's fun.

Yes, I can control mine too! Funny that.