Reflection in Mirror

[James333]

Hi everyone. I like to think of myself as a rational person, and I'll try to describe my experience in such a way. I'd also like to state that at the time of this incident I fixed air conditioners, had a pretty hum drum life, and had never experienced anything like this or since then.

About 7-8 yrs ago when I was around 24 I believe, my father took me to Sedona, AZ to hike Mt. Wilson. We stayed in a motel the night previous the hike. The morning of the hike after showering and dressing I checked myself in the mirror. At first glance it appeared as if the mirror was fogged from the shower, so i wiped it down with a towel. After wiping it and upon closer inspection I realized the only part of the mirror that seemed to be foggy was the reflection of my eyes. I could see every detail of my face and clothing perfectly, but i could not see my eyes. By this time the mirror was completely clean clear because I wiped it down several more times to be sure. I also opened the door in case there was still any residual moisture. The mirror was completely dry at this point with no chance of any fog on it. Still no matter where i looked, I moved my head up down left right, there seemed to be a foggyness in the socket area of the reflection of my eyes. I could see with perfect clarity my eyebrows, bridge of nose, everything around my eyes. It was like two perfect ovals of fog that stayed on my eyes no matter where i was positioned or where I looked in the mirror. This effect did not go away.

This was an older type vanity mirror attached to a dresser. I tryed with all my rationality to explain this effect, but I couldn't. I thought maybe it was two way mirror so I pulled it aways from the wall. It was a regular mirror. I used a blow dryer to make sure it was perfectly dry. The effect still remained. The only thing that made me stop trying to figure it out was my father telling me it was time to go. As soon as we were on the road I checked my reflection in the visor mirror and everything was normal.

This is the only odd experience I've ever had and it has stayed in my mind ever since then. I finally gave into curiousity and called the motel this morning to ask if anyone else has ever reported something similar. The receptionist said no and that the room had been remodeled, the bathroom decreased in size, and the vanity mirror replaced. I had hoped one day to revisit and maybe recreate what had happened. This doesn't seem possible now so I'm hoping maybe someone has some explanation. Any opinion is welcome.

[Ever Learning]

Maybe the shower that you had there was hotter than your usual one youhad, you were dehydrated and your veins enlarged. the swelling of your veins caused your vision to blur but allow you to still see through your peripheral vision.( vanity mirrors arnt normaly that big so hard to reposition your self) when you went out side it may of not been the change of mirror that changed the effect but the change of temperture outside causing your veins to thin.( there fore giving the illusion of a different effect)

all this being said its impossible for me to know what happened but i hope you get to the bottom of it.

[James333]

Thank for trying to explain, only I wasn't dehydrated having been preparing for a long hike. Also, this mirror was not small. It was larger width wise than most bathroom mirrors and the bathroom itself was quite large. I had no issues repositioning myself. I did not just reposition the angle of my head but also the positon of my body. As for temperature change from leaving the room to getting in truck. The truck was less than a few steps from door and the outside temp was comparable to the inside of the room, being that it was summer at the time. Which means we might of had the AC on in the room. This might make your theory void. I do appreciate your explanation but I think it's much more than this.

Edited August 14, 2012 by James333

[James333]

I'd also like to say that it wasn't blurry at all. It was as if someone had cut out two perfect ovals of wax paper and placed them over my eyes in the mirror. I can see how this can be explained away with the peripheral eplanation but I don't think this is the case. I don't wear glasses and don't have any health issues. Also, I remember stepping far away from the mirror and also looking upclose. No matter the distance it was always just the eyes. I'm no expert but I would expect the scenario you presented to cause the effect itself to get larger or smaller itself depending on the distance from the mirror, but that did not happen.

[James333]

Aside from there might have been the perfect set of circumstances to cause me to have temporary peripheral vision, I'd like hear other opinions as well.

Edited August 14, 2012 by James333

[jackball74]

I wonder if your eyes could have been reflecting light from the bathroom fixture. But if so, the effect would have probably been lost when you moved around.