The start of the school year and the changing of seasons can sometimes bring a bit of stress in our worlds, and if you’re one who suffers from migraines, you likely know when you’re triggering one. In addition to monitoring these triggers, is also beneficial to know if you’re actually experiencing an ocular migraine.
Ocular migraines can develop with or without the accompanying pain of a classic migraine but they involve a visual disturbance. This disturbance is usually referred to as an aura and although it can vary from person to person, it commonly includes flashing lights, stars, blurred or blind spots, and zigzagging lines. According to womenshealth.gov, of the people who report having migraines, one out of every five experience this aura.
These symptoms are usually short lasting, but they can definitely interfere with activities like driving or reading.
If you experience loss of vision in only one eye with your migraine symptoms, it could potentially be a retinal migraine – a different condition altogether that is often confused with ocular migraines. They are often caused by some more serious condition so make sure to schedule an appointment with the Eye Clinic of Austin promptly if you’re experiencing repeated bouts of vision loss.
As Ophthalmologist Thomas Henderson, M.D. stresses, “If this your first experience with the visual disturbance of migraine, or if there are any other symptoms such as difficulty with speech or movement of any part of the body, it is extremely important to make sure that more serious causes such as impending stroke are ruled out. Those more serious things are rare, but are very important not to overlook.”
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/causes-of-ocular-migraines#Causes1
https://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/health/10540-what-is-an-ocular-migraine.html