It is estimated that visual aura occurs in 20 to 25 percent of people with migraine headaches. However, the frequency of visual aura alone (ocular migraine) is not known because many people who have this as an isolated symptom do not seek medical care.
Retinal migraines, which are relatively rare, are also referred to as ocular migraines. Retinal migraines only affect one eye. They occur in association with a migraine headache and symptoms consist of loss of vision with occasional flashing lights.
It's rare. Some research suggests that in many cases, the symptoms are due to other problems. Regular migraine attacks can also cause vision problems, called an aura, which can involve flashing lights and blind spots. But these symptoms usually happen in both eyes.
Avoid migraine triggers. Common triggers include stress, hormonal changes, bright/flashing lights, drinking alcohol (red wine), changes in the weather, skipping meals/not eating enough, or too much or too little sleep.
If you have visual symptoms that have not previously been evaluated by a health care provider, you should see a provider if you have any of the following: Visual changes in only one eye. Visual changes that last less than five minutes and more than 60 minutes. Visual changes without a headache.
Ocular migraine, or migraine with aura, and stroke are two different conditions. Having an attack doesn't mean you're having a stroke or are about to have one. However, research has shown that people with migraine with aura are at an increased risk of stroke.
Ocular migraine will typically go away with time. You should rest and avoid triggers such as bright lights until the vision disturbances are gone. There are both over-the-counter treatments and prescription medications that you can use to treat recurring migraine flares.
If you get bad migraines or you have them often, you may worry that if you don't already have a brain tumor, the migraines might cause one. But research can help put your mind at ease. There is no evidence migraines cause brain tumors.
The risk of stroke almost triples for those who suffer from regular ocular migraines, according to the American Stroke Association. This is because a migraine with an aura causes blood vessels to narrow further and as a result increases the risk of stroke.
Stress is a common trigger of migraine headaches, including ocular migraine headaches. Since anxiety causes stress, anxiety is a common cause of migraine headaches, including ocular migraine headaches.
People with ocular migraines can have a variety of visual symptoms. Typically you will see a small, enlarging blind spot (scotoma) in your central vision with bright, flickering lights (scintillations) or a shimmering zig-zag line (metamorphopsia) inside the blind spot.
If you seem to experience headaches frequently, there is no harm in visiting your local optician to find out if there is a problem with your vision. If you suffer headaches as well as blurry vision, double vision or difficulty seeing at night, it is very likely you need to wear glasses.
Scientists believe that ocular migraines have a genetic origin, but also that reduced blood flow to the eyes or spasms of blood vessels in the eye may cause them.
Curiously, migraine aura tends to increase with age and often presents without headache. This correlates with other studies that show that visual aura and other disturbances (such as zig zag lines known as scintillating scotoma) are more common in older headache patients.
But during a migraine, these stimuli feel like an all-out assault. The result: The brain produces an outsize reaction to the trigger, its electrical system (mis)firing on all cylinders. This electrical activity causes a change in blood flow to the brain, which in turn affects the brain's nerves, causing pain.
The symptoms of the two conditions are almost the same except for a few telltale signs. The main difference is a migraine with aura will affect both eyes while an ocular migraine affects only one. Both have visual disturbances such as: Flashes of light.
Retinal Migraine. People may use the terms ocular migraine and retinal migraine to mean the same thing, but there are some important differences. An ocular migraine generally occurs in both eyes. A retinal migraine is rare and tends to occur in just one eye, when vessels that supply the eye with blood narrow.
Focal seizures and seizure aura can mimic migraine aura. Visual migraine aura can be confused for occipital seizures and vice versa, although symptoms are classically distinct.
A visual migraine is a temporary visual distortion that often begins with a small sparkling, shimmering area that slowly expands outward. The growing spot often has jagged, zig-zag edges. The visual symptoms typically last approximately 20-30 minutes and then completely resolve.
Visual migraine
Not everyone experiences a headache relating to these symptoms. In rare cases, visual migraine can trigger a seizure. This is called migralepsy and usually causes a person to experience a seizure within 1 hour after noticing migraine symptoms. Read more on visual migraine here.
It is estimated that visual aura occurs in 20 to 25 percent of people with migraine headaches. However, the frequency of visual aura alone (ocular migraine) is not known because many people who have this as an isolated symptom do not seek medical care.
Diagnosing an Ocular Migraine
If you are experiencing any kind of impairment to your vision similar to the symptoms above, it is always important to discuss those with your doctor. A neurologist can help a patient distinguish between whether they are experiencing migraine aura or more serious retinal migraines.
Photophobia, or light hypersensitivity, is a common symptom of migraine, and sunlight, bright light, and changing light levels may trigger migraine episodes or worsen existing symptoms. Using migraine sunglasses may help because they filter out specific wavelengths that may trigger or worsen migraine episodes.
Ocular migraine refers to a migraine episode with visual symptoms. If it occurs in one eye, it's called retinal migraine. But if it occurs in both eyes, doctors call it migraine with aura.