Ocular migraine is the
common or popular name for ophthalmic migraines. The
term migraine usually makes us think of a severe type
of headache. However, visual disturbances with or without
the headache pain are also a form of migraine with the
same migraine processes related to changes in blood
flow in the brain. There are many different
triggers
that can cause a migraine to start but in some cases,
those changes that take place in blood flow actually
happen to the area of the brain responsible for vision.
There are a group of different types of migraines
including ocular migraines which are all eye migraines.
Pain is only one possible migraine
symptom. Other symptoms can include nausea, congestion
and visual symptoms.
If you are getting strange visual disturbances, usually
lasting less than an hour, but no headache, you may
well have an ocular migraine. These ocualar migraines
are quite rare. They can occur repeatedly though not
usually in a regular pattern. You could go days or
years between such ocular migraine attacks.
Ocular migraine symptoms:
o Sometimes there is a headache and sometimes not.
A migraine headache can then follow after the other
ocular migraine symptoms have finished.
o There will be a small enlarging blind spot in your
central vision with bright, flickering lights or …
o A shimmering zig zag line inside the blind spot.
o The blind spot usually enlarges and may move across
your field of vision.
o This partial or complete blindness usually takes
place in one eye.
o The entire set of migraine symptoms takes anything
from 5 minutes to up to an hour.
o This whole procedure is sometimes referred to as
an “aura”
Some of those who suffer from ocular migraines describe
their experiences as varying degrees of vision loss
or obstruction. Some people report “blind spots
or holes”, referring to missing sections in
the normal visual field or they may experience a shade
of black or gray over the visual field. Some compare
the visual phenomena of ocular migraine to the patterns
produced by an old television with faulty reception.
Others say it is like looking through watery glass.
However, the vision symptoms accompanying painless
ocular migraines are not related directly to the eyes.
Instead, these visual symptoms occur as a result of
the migraine “activity” in the visual
cortex of the brain located in the back of the skull.
The good news is that ocular migraine symptoms are
temporary and do not harm the eye but they can interfere
with daily activities such as reading and driving
and can interrupt the work day. If sharp vision is
essential to your safety, then you should stop what
you are doing immediately if an ocular migraine starts.
And don’t start again until the ocular migraine
passes and your vision has cleared.
If you have been suffering from similar symptoms,
it would be wise to see a doctor or ophthalmologist
to confirm that it is ocular migraine and not some
other condition such as retinal detachment which would
need immediate attention.
The best treatment
for ocular migraines is to identify what triggers
the condition in your particular case and thereby
prevent such occurrences. Minimizing stress, maintaining
a consistent schedule in your lifestyle, eating regular
meals, making sure you drink enough water and getting
enough rest and sleep are all useful preventative
measures.
If ocular migraines start occurring with increasing
frequency, your doctor may recommend treatment in
the form of migraine
medicines.
Go
to our Migraine and Headache Treatment page
