Why do I see smoke when there is none?

[KaylaJoy]

When I’m looking out into the distance, reading, looking at my phone, or staring into space while thinking, I’ll see smoke around me, like the smoke from someone blowing out smoke from a cigarette. It even billows in the air faintly like smoke does. It looks sort of like the picture. And then when I go to look at it, it’s gone. This happens quite often. Is this a visual hallucination? What could cause this? It’s really bothering me and making me feel worried. Thank you in advance for your responses

Updates

+1 y

I don’t smoke by the way, that was just an example. Also, I’ve been getting 7.5-8.5 hours of sleep a night. I eat a relatively healthy diet as well.

[Massageman]

I agree with loveslongnails .

See an ophthalmologist for an exam WITH a dilation.
My first thought was cataracts, although you are very young for those.
But there are other conditions which can produce similar symptoms.

My wife had to have about a hundred micro- holes lasered into her eyeball
to relieve hers. Painless, took about 5-6 minutes.

[loveslongnails]

You should get a full eye exam from an ophthalmologist, NOT an optometrist. It could be some form ocular issue, or it could be related to migraines. If they don't find anything, I'd see your general practitioner and see what they recommend. It's not something you should ignore. Do you take drugs, or do recreational drugs, of any kind?

[KaylaJoy]

I have had migraines my whole life, so maybe it’s an aura thing🤷‍♀️. I did do recreational drugs for a while a year ago.

[loveslongnails]

It might be, but it also might be a narrowing in your ocular drainage which is causing it. That is serious shit IF that's the case, so you need to get it checked. If your eyes can't drain properly, you will built up fluid and have the equivalent of a "heart attack" on your ocular nerve, which could leave you blind. The test is simple and the treatment is painless, IF that's the case... so get it checked out !!! It has NOTHING to do with age - it's all genetics. Get an exam !!!

[Flower7]

That's really creepy. I don't know of any medical or visual condition that can cause that. Also, if it was simply a hallucination, it seems like the image wouldn't go away when you tried to look directly at it. Hallucinations don't tend to play hide and seek. I'm thinking this is something supernatural.

[KaylaJoy]

Hmm I don’t really believe in the paranormal, but that is an interesting thought. It’s weird, because it’ll go away when I go to look around to make sure there is no smoke, but the second I go back to what I was doing it comes back

[Flower7]

I love science fiction and learning about the supernatural, so of course that was the first thing to come into my mind!

[chriscdi]

if you haven't slept then hallucinations is a possibility

[KaylaJoy]

I’ve been sleeping 7.5-8.5 hours a night

[chriscdi]

then its not that, maybe its just fog, take a nap, maybe when you wake up it will be gone

[KaylaJoy]

It’s been happening off and on for years, but it’s been doing it almost every day for the last couple of weeks now, so I don’t think it’s sleep related

[chriscdi]

then you might wanna have your eyes checked

[Jjpayne]

I would ask someone to stay with you and then see if they can also see the smoke. That way you can factor that out. It sounds like an interesting phenomenon though...

[KaylaJoy]

It’s not really there: I’m the only one who sees it

[Jjpayne]

It's something I might ask the eye doctor about

[Jjpayne]

I know it's been said already but asking the eye doctor again would probably be a good idea

[FrePhill]

Air quality has been very poor lately. Maybe like smog, you are seeing effect of our air quality. But maybe you could check NIH or Mayo Clinic website in case it’s your eyes.

[Shy_Steve]

There usually is something in the air wether you can see it or not, It is just because you have good eye sight.
I'm like that with my hearing, I usually hear things when it's quiet.

[Ee_ls]

Does that also make you a light sleeper?

[Shy_Steve]

@Ee_lt usually takes me while to get to sleep.

[pizzalovershouse]

See a doctor if keep having problems

[Anonymous]

You are developing cataracts

[KaylaJoy]

My eye doctor would disagree. I am slightly nearsighted though

[Slim57]

Do people smoke that you know or something maybe?

[Iron_Man]

Its your imagination

[asshole_]

Cause you want the smoke

[KaylaJoy]

I don’t smoke cigarettes? And I don’t want to see that. It’s distracting and it concerns me. And it’s happening more and more frequently

[asshole_]

You want the smoke

[Anonymous]

Maybe Cateracts

[KaylaJoy]

I don’t have cateracts. I go to the eye doctor every year, so they would have noticed that

[Comecloser]

You are on drugs

[KaylaJoy]

No, I’m not. Anyways this has been happening on and off again since I was a little kid