A diagnosis of retinal migraine may be more and more common, but there’s still confusion over what exactly it is. There are five signs that you can use to tell if you have retinal migraine, but don’t miss the important warning at the end…
- One eye: First, the eye symptoms tend to be monocular, meaning they’re only in one eye.
- Visual disturbances: So what’s going on in this one eye? There are a variety of disturbances which other migraine sufferers may be familiar with. This might include flashing lights, or patterns in your visual field. There may be an area where your vision is impaired (ie dark spots), or even loss. Even blindness in one eye is possible with retinal migraine.
- Temporary: Permanent vision loss is another matter. With retinal migraine the symptoms are reversible.
- Headache: A headache typically starts during the visual disturbances, or within an hour after they stop. The headache typically lasts between 4 hours and 3 days, is often one-sided and pulsating, and usually either includes sensitivity to light and/or sound, nausea, or both. There is an increasing body of evidence showing cases of retinal migraine without headache as well. There is an argument that the "headache" not be necessary for a diagnosis of retinal migraine, but usually it’s still included.
- Repeated: In order to actually be diagnosed with retinal migraine, you need to have had at least 2 attacks.
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Now that you’ve got the 5 signs, it’s time for the warning. It’s very important that other causes have been ruled out. It’s easy to get a misdiagnoses here, so some things are very important:
- It’s helpful to see your doctor during an attack, so she can ask the appropriate questions to diagnose you.
- You need to have a normal eye exam in between attacks. Remember, this is temporary. There are a number of things that can cause similar visual disturbances, such as brain damage, tumours, ischemic optic neuropathy (damage to the optic nerve) and other optic disorders. Even if the symptoms are coming and going, it’s very important to rule out other causes.
- Make sure your doctor has your medical history, and family medical history as much as possible. This will help her narrow down the possibilities to the most likely.
- If your symptoms don’t quite fit the above criteria, you may have another type of migraine. Migraine aura without headache is a typical suspect if you have no headache, especially if you’re having symptoms in both eyes. Migraine with aura is another possibility if you have the headache but your visual symptoms are more varied. If you’re not sure about what your doctor is telling you, get a second opinion.
Researchers suspect decreased blood flow to the eye or optic nerve may be to blame for the unique symptoms of retinal migraine. However, like other types of migraine, the overall cause is still a mystery.
The good news is that retinal migraine often decreases or disappears with typical migraine treatment. Be sure to see a specialist and discuss your options.
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I suffer from pretty severe migraines. I’ve been getting them a few times a week for months now, and I’ve had mild to moderate headaches since I was around the age of six. My migraines tend to be more painful in my left eye, but I am totally blind, so I don’t know whether or not they would cause problems with my vision were I to have my sight. I do have Coates Disease and Retinitis Pigmentosa and have been to my retina specialist within the past few weeks. He said that my migraines weren’t being caused by anything that he saw in my eye, but is a retinal migraine something you can notice by looking at the eye? I’ve been to a neurologist, and before doing any scans on my brain, he prescribed 10mg of amitriptyline and told me that I could take one to three of the tablets every night before bed. The medicine worked, but it caused me to have even more nightmares than I already do. I was dreaming about deceased friends and family members. The drug caused me to be physically drained every day. I am a highschool student, so not being able to stay awake or remain focus isn’t something I can tolerate. My neurologist passed away, and a different neurlogist, who had never seen me in her office before, prescribed topamax. I was on the Topamax as long as it took me to ease myself off it. I found out how dangerous it could be, and I just didn’t think the sideaffects and risks were worth it. It made me very angry in the short time that I was taking it. Now I am trying a homeopathic aproach to treat my migraines. I am taking one tablet of migrafew before bed every night, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Please, if anyone knows anything more about what i have described here, send an EMail to me at armyloveangel@gmail.com.
Some of the simptoms of my migraines include: vomiting, nausea, severe eye pain, headache above the left eye, headache with drastically reduced pain on the other side of the head, temperature sensitivity, and sensitivity to light and sound.
I’ve always thought that maybe certain foods such as bread, spaghetti noodles, and chocolate were triggers for my migraines, but maybe not. Would it help to keep a food diary? I eat a lot of these things, so would it even be possible to deduce?
Thank you,
Farrah
Have you heard of vision loss following by a migraine after exercise? I am a runner and have started getting migraines after an intense run. I lose vision in both my eyes and then get a headache. The headache is manageable, but its the vision loss that really upsets me. I’m a Nutritionist and have to admit, I’m completely baffled on this one. Please help!!
Hi
I have a disease called Pigment Dispersion Syndrome, and what happens is when I exercise the pigment in my eye falls off and blocks the mesh-work that allows the eye to balance the pressure within it. The increase in eye pressure leads to temporary sightloss (everything goes white for me) and then I get a headache around my eyes. It is easily treatable, but needs to be monitored as it can cause associated glaucoma. I have drops to manage my eye pressure. The eye pressure only goes up after exercise / jumping about or, for me, when my pupils are dilated so isn’t picked up on routine eye checks. I think they can measure the shape of your cornea and take a look inside to see if you have it. I hope this is helpful. Regards, Donna
I am also a runner who has lost my vision after running. The first time in both eyes the next two times in the left eye. While I am running my left eye looks like I am looking through a fog/haze. Then about an hour or so after my eye hurts not my head. This only happens after about mile 7. I have had cat scans/ mris and an eye specialist who basically said deal with it because his son get these ocular migraines which is what they think I have. This morning I woke up after having an attack yesterday (Ran 13.1 slow) and my eye looks like somebody punched me. Any ideas. This sucks not being able to run
Hi Mary, I had the same thing happening to me for a few months, as you can see from my previous comment. I know how frustrating it can be as a runner too. I took a very close look at my diet and realized it was linked back to some food additives like MSG and polysorbate 80. I am a very clean eater (I’m a nutritionist) so it was extremely baffling for me. However, I found that these additives were in some very not-so-obvious foods. Email me and we can chat if you like. joy@joyoushealth.ca
IV,E BEEN HAVING THIS BLURRY VISION FOLLOWED BY THE MIGRAINE. LATELY IVE BEEN WALKING AND DIETING. i HATE THE BLURRY VISION THAT LASTS ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
i have the same issue, actually it only happen twice but it scare me…i dont know why this has to happen to me. Its starts off with a flash of light, blurry vision for 15minutes, and then a major migraine. I’m so scared im 26 and i dont know where this is coming from…i have to sit in a dark room for hours, i wish i knew of a cure. The last time it happen i was at work i went to the ER and they gave me some type of meds that anger me…I’m scared and i dont know what is going to happen
My wife has started having flashes of light in her left eye. No particular headache. I have read the above comments, and wonder if we need to see an Opthalmologist or a Neurologist? We have no insurance, but I’m fearful not do something. Any information as to the danger
I get flashing lights in both my eyes which lasts for about 10 minutes and then about 15 min later a headache.
If you are having light flashes you need to see a retinal specialist immediately. I have had that and there is a chance you are having a retinal detachment. I have had detachments in both eyes and you really need a good eye doctor to detect this. Mine was caused by very bad nearsidedness. You usually do not get a headache with a detachment just light flashes.
I began retinal migranes sans headaches several years ago while under a lot of stress. They were diagnosed and went away after several episodes. Years later when I began medication for cholesterol they came back with a vengence, like five a day. I changed meds and they started again. Doctors didn’t believe it was the statin drugs but I found several others online that had experienced same.
Nearly one month i notice a floater appeared on my left eye.it been bother me so much n recently my right eye appear flash of lights appear,due to financial problem n other medical problem left me frustrated and angry.WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Hi I have suffered from migraine for the past ten years but usually get flashing zig zag lights over one eye no headache and this would only occur about three times per year. However for the past severn weeks I have had attacks 2-3 times per week and yesterday lost the vision in one eye completely for about an hour really scarey, have come up with the conclusion that I could be doing too much exercise any ideas any one ???????????
I’ve been getting migraines for the last 12 years and been through every treatment available. I recently went back on daily tablets (sandomigran) and they have been great apart from the nightmares but i’d much prefer that to pain and vomiting. Last week i got my first ocular migraine and was freaked out. I was dizzy and pale and had loss of vision in my left eye. Lasted about 20 mins. 8 hours later i got another 1 and it was exactly the same. Saw the doctor today and he said my daily tablets should prevent any migraine and to take 1000mg of asprin under my tongue to relieve it faster. He also said if i have another 1 i need to get a head ct. Different things work for different people it’s best to work out options with your doctor.
I have suffered from Retinal Migarianes since I was a kid. I will see blind spots, zig-zags, and sometime go blind all together, all these thins in my right eye only. Once my vision comes back I have a massive migraine, adm sensitive to light and sound, and vomit. I was told the time would in between them would stretch as I got older, and they have. I had my first one in two years yesterday. Man did I forget how painful they are. I usually sleep them away, but after reading this am nervouse there may be a bigger problem.
The thing that confuses me is that I can’t find a specific migraine that covers all my symptoms. Any advice?
hi
i woke up as usual and after doing a few household jobs washing floors etc i started to get kaleidoscope vision – colours and lights and faces looking unclear and lit up and muddled, it scared the heck out of me, my hubby took me to a and e and on the way there i had lost the left part of my visual field and could only read the right part of text ie signs and number plates. i had a ct scan and it was inconclusive but they noted low density to the back of my brain so i am waiting to have a mri scan – please help if you have had this – worry and stress is making me feel foggy and like i am not seeing as clearly as usual but i think this is mental due to being a worry worry pot. any tips x
I get the flashing lights in both eyes the silvery dot that gets bigger and moves across my vision always lasts 20 mins,
then if I inadvertently eat msg or aspartame I get brown shapes that block the vision in one eye only, lasts 5 mins , I always get a panic attack too and afterwards I feel very exhausted