"Life's not always easy on the eyes. You become visually overwhelmed, dissociated, out of body. The lost sense of space. Light in the head. It's too much. It's all too much . . ."
Do everyday visual experiences exhaust you in ways you can't explain?
Does the familiar sometimes feel uncanny?
Do you feel "lost in space" in crowded places?
Can you read individual words but lose the meaning of sentences?
You might be simultagnostic
And you're not alone.
Simultagnosia (sometimes called "SA" by those who experience it) is a visual processing disorder where your brain struggles to integrate visual information, despite having normal eyesight. You see individual details clearly - but connecting them into a coherent whole is exhausting or impossible.
Your brain processes visual information one piece at a time. While others effortlessly take in entire scenes, you work harder to connect what you see. That effort is real, measurable, and deserves acknowledgment.
You're not lazy. You're not careless. Your brain processes visual information differently.
Dorsal simultagnosia: Difficulty perceiving multiple objects simultaneously. A crowded airport feels like visual chaos.
Ventral simultagnosia: Difficulty integrating parts of a single object into a coherent whole. You see components but struggle to understand what the complete thing is.
Someone points at something, and you genuinely can't tell which specific thing they mean. You see buildings, but which one?
Observation points, canyons, lookouts - experiences that should be enjoyable feel overwhelming and difficult to explain to others.
Busy places with advertising, billboards, and moving objects create visual chaos that's cognitively exhausting.
You process words individually but lose the sentence's meaning. Not slower - just different.
Difficulty telling characters apart, following continuity between scenes, or tracking action when there's a lot happening on screen.
You experience dizzy, "trippy" sensations in visually complex environments - even though your balance is fine.
"I finally have a name for my pain."
"I never considered myself disabled. Just... different."
"It's like having a narrower cone of vision - not physically, but mentally."
"The familiar feels uncanny sometimes. Places I know well suddenly seem disorienting."
"I feel lost in space, even when I can see everything around me."
"People tell me I'm 'not paying attention' when I genuinely can't see what they mean."
No, simultagnosia is a distinct visual processing pattern. However, it can co-occur with neurodivergent conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, schizophrenia, and BPD. Many simultagnostic people are also neurodivergent. We have an upcoming video exploring the overlap and intersection between SA and various neurodivergent conditions.
Yes. Simultagnosia can be present from early childhood, though it's often undiagnosed because children may not have the language to describe their visual experiences. If a child struggles with visually complex environments, has difficulty following group activities, or seems to "not pay attention" despite clearly trying, simultagnosia could be a factor.
Simultagnosia is a neurological pattern, not a disease, so there's no "cure." However, there are many effective strategies for managing it. Understanding your pattern, using compensatory techniques, and adapting your environment can dramatically improve daily functioning. Some people find vision therapy helpful, though results vary.
Diagnosis requires evaluation by a neuro-optometrist, neurologist, or neuropsychologist who specializes in visual processing disorders. The evaluation typically includes vision testing, neurological assessment, and cognitive testing to rule out other conditions and understand your specific pattern.
Many people in the simultagnostic community use "SA" as shorthand - it's easier to say and type repeatedly. You might also hear people say "I'm simultagnostic" rather than "I have simultagnosia," similar to how some people say "I'm autistic" rather than "I have autism."
Simultagnosia is largely ignored in the United States. Most research comes from Scotland and other international sources. It's subtle enough that people dismiss their struggles as personal failings rather than a recognized neurological pattern.
Unlike more obvious visual impairments, simultagnosia can be subtle and might manifest as difficulties that people attribute to other things:
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Start the QuizDirectory of neuro-optometrists, neurologists, and occupational therapists who understand simultagnosia. Telehealth options available.
Specialist Directory launching February 2026
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For years, you've struggled to explain why certain visual experiences are unbearable. You've felt like something was wrong with you. There's a reason. And there are others who understand.
Directory of neuro-optometrists, neurologists, and occupational therapists who understand simultagnosia. Telehealth options available.
Specialist Directory launching February 2026
Share experiences, ask questions, connect with others who are simultagnostic. A safe space to discuss coping strategies and find support.
Join the Forum →Key papers from Scottish researchers, visual processing disorder overviews, and medical literature.
Reading guides, apps for visual processing differences, accessibility technology, and navigation strategies.
Coping Strategies Guide ($29), Workplace Accommodation Templates ($19), Complete Handbook ($79)
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