Ocular Migraine

Ocular migraine or eye migraine are the terms commonly used for what is more properly known as ophthalmic migraine. This condition is also sometimes referred to as silent migraine headaches and is also written as occular migraine.

When we talk about a migraine we are usually referring to a severe headache which is often accompanied by visual disturbances including a sensitivity to light.

However, it is possible to experience visual disturbances with or without the pain of a headache and this gives rise to the terms ophthalmic, ocular or eye migraine. Where a headache is not present it is also common to use the term silent migraine.

Ocular migraines involve a variety of different symptoms.

For example, it is common to experience a small blind spot in the center of your vision together with bright colored flickering lights and zigzag lines. This blind spot normally enlarges and moves across your field of vision. Ocular migraine can last for just a few minutes, but typically lasts about 20 to 30 minutes.

Ocular migraine symptoms are very similar to those seen in sufferers who experience the aura which accompanies a classical migraine but, according to some schools of thought, there is one important difference.

In cases of classical migraine the visual disturbance arises within the occipital cortex (the visual processing area of the brain) but in ocular migraine this disturbance arises from the retinal blood vessels within the eyes. In other words, the aura accompanying a classical migraine arises from within the brain whereas ocular migraine arises from within the eye. This said, the problem is that there is some disagreement over just what causes ocular migraine and some health professionals would argue that any effect on the retinal blood vessels originates in the occipital cortex.

Ocular migraine symptoms are temporary in nature and result in no lasting harm. They can however interfere with normal day to day activities, such as reading or watching television, and are clearly of particular significance for anybody who is driving or operating machinery.

There is no specific treatment for ocular migraine, other than those drug treatments which would normally be given for migraines in general.

Learn more about the ocular migraine:

Fluids Hypertension Syndromes: Benign Intracranial …
These 187 patients with ocular migraines also presented the following signs and symptoms: – 90 patients (48.1%) worsened at awakening; – 66 patients (35.3%) felt frontal migraines, – 48 patients (25.7%) felt temporal or at the head-top (vertex) Migraines. – 42 patients (22.5%) felt occipital … Read Content

Introduction: Jennifer Lim, MD (Attending)
POH remarkable for myopic astigmatism and ocular migraines. On exam, pt with VAcc of 20/20-1 OD and 20/50-1 OS, no afferent pupillary defect, normal IOP, anterior segment exam notable for no NVI, pseudoexfolia-tion present over lens capsule in both eyes and 3+ cortical changes in OD but clear lens in … Fetch Doc

No. 1-09-3053, Balough V. Northeast Illinois Regional …
Plaintiff’s treating physician at the time, Dr. Ponakala, diagnosed these episodes as ocular migraines. Rule 1.6.3 of Metra’s General Code of Operating Rules (Rules), under which plaintiff is covered as a locomotive engineer, required plaintiff to immediately report to Metra if he had knowledge … Retrieve Content

Part XI Headaches
Unilateral in 60%, bilateral in 40% (1) Often more intense in the front or temporal and ocular regions before spreading to the parietal and occipital area. Unilateral or bilateral posterior neck pain occurs in up to 75%of migraines and can lead to diagnostic confusion with tension-type headaches. … Retrieve Full Source