Anyone else get ocular migraines?

BerryH · January 2012

I've never had migraines before but I've had three in the last two months. At least that's what I assume they are - the doctor wouldn't see me until I'd been to an optician to rule out a detached retina, which fortunately they did!

I get an absolutely classic aura in the right eye that starts as a bright spot and grows into a star with a jagged black-and-white outline, like this but flashier:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/ocular-migraine.htm

I can't see through it and have to wait until it passes until I can use the keyboard and read the screen again, and even then it's blurry for the rest of the day. I don't get the cripplingly bad headache, thank goodness, but a feeling of pressure that builds up over a couple of days beforehand, then a normal headache and giddiness.

I'm trying to think what's changed to bring it on but can't put a finger on it from the list of usual causes. I'm on the mini pill, not one that contains oestrogen which is often the culprit. I have low to normal blood pressure, I'm now not much overweight, I don't smoke and I stay well-hydrated.

The only possibility is low blood sugar as they have all been at lunch time, but I always have breakfast and if I'm hungry a mid morning snack, like today. I think I'm beginning to identify warning signs over the previous day or two, including insomnia.

I thought it might be exercise induced as I'm training quite hard for the Marathon, but I had one today and haven't worked out since Sunday.

Does anyone have any experience of eliminating causes and preventing further attacks?

CARNAT22 · January 2012

Hi Berry,

I started suffering about a year ago.

You explain my symptoms exactly with the Aura, although as long as I take a painkiller I avoid the actual headaches.

I cannot see for about 5 minutes and as my vision returns I get what I can only explain as "tunnel" vision - I feel like my vision returns but is still blurry around the edges?

I went to Dr and as I get two out of three of the symptoms (aura, headaches and nausea being the 3 main symptoms of migraines) they asked me to keep a diary.

12 months and 26 episodes down the line I am non the wiser....

I cannot see any triggers (around time I would ovulate / middle of month) I normally get one. Usually though I get two or three in quick succession and then go without for months?

I cannot see a trigger in what I eat. what I am doing at the time, or even location they occur? Last 5 have been at home, 10 before that at work?

The closest I got to a link was hormonal but even that only explains less than a third of them.

As they are not debilitating I have not been to Dr about them for ages...

I stopped smoking 8 months ago, weigh 117lbs, have no BP issues....

It's a complete mystery!

xxx

cgrout78 · January 2012

I get them occasionally...I have no idea what triggers them. I just know I can't see the tv very clearly for a while so I just close my eyes for a few minutes and it goes away.

I also get regular migraines too though, and much prefer the ocular ones, at least there isn't any pain!!

jennajava · January 2012

I used to. Turns out my birth control was causing them.

springermad · January 2012

I don't have them, but I do get cluster migraines as they are evil things I have fentanyl to take when I have them.

cybercelt · January 2012

Yes, I have had them too. A lot of screen time makes them worse.

kb455 · January 2012

I get migraines that effect my vision as well. It usually starts with an aura and then almost immediately I get a debilitating headache that usually lasts at least 4-7 hours. There are a lot of common food triggers that you can look into and see if they could be contributing to it. The last time I had one (it was so bad my mom had to come over and take over being with my kids) was immediately following a run. Even if you didn't IMMEDIATELY eat the food, it can still cause a migraine. You could have eaten it the night before, etc. I did try to cut out most of the common food triggers out of my diet (cheese, chocolate and meats like pepperoni, sausage, etc) and I haven't had a migraine since spring. I don't know if that's why but I had been getting them about every 2 months or so before that. Good luck and I hope you get some answers. Good news that you don't get the headache.... I wouldn't wish migraines headaches on my worst enemy.

HeatherMarie1174 · January 2012

I used to get them all the time along with pretty bad migraines. I went veggie for a completely different reason and my migraines stopped - I was sold!! I do still get the ocular migraines on occasion, but not nearly as often.

FaugHorn · January 2012

Yes! I eventually saw a nuerologist who eliminated causes like tumor or stroke. We ended up with a list of "triggers" after keeping a headache journal for a couple of months. There are lists of common foods that trigger complex migranes of various sizes. If you notice that you eat/encounter one of those triggers before the migrane (for food it's about 4-8 hours before) then you can remove them from your diet and you'll see improvement. A big trigger for me turned out to be soy products (so sad

)

mltaylor0873 · January 2012

I have 4th nerve pulsey and mine are usually stress induced. My body has always been able to compensate until the last four or five years and then when I get stressed I get them. Taking a walk or a nap usually does the trick for me.

Cilenia · January 2012

I have migraines, not ocular ones but normal ones. Over the years that i had them lack of sleep / rest and stress have been the main triggers. Next to dehydration.

Other then that there are a couple of foods i need to watch out for the main ones being chocolate and coffee.

I hope you will be able to figure out what causes them for you.

emaxtastic · January 2012

I also get these and have no idea why! My aura always begins as a dot and grows into a big arc, completely obscuring my vision - i can't drive, type, even walk safely. But very little actual head pain as such, just a dull annoying ache and pressure. The vision thing makes me nauseous if I try to move about, because I then get dizzy. I don't know anyone else who suffers from this! If it begins and I take some regular painkillers the minute it starts I can often nip it in the bud, but I usually end up with the migraine waking me up at 7am and it's then too late...

Allisonsmith99 · January 2012

I get these auras, blind-spots, headaches and nausea/diarrhoea quite a lot. My triggers include certain perfumes/smells, tiredness, lack of food, bright lights and sunshine glare. I also get intense carb cravings a day or before migraines I have yet to discover the trigger for

ChantelleFowler · January 2012

Hi there

I have had migraines w/ aura all of my life (well, since Grade 3) and they are just NOT fun. My triggers when I was a child were lack of sleep. If I stayed up late and woke up early the next day, I was pretty much a shoo in for a migraine that day. Now-a-days, I find that if I don't eat enough or if I eat really bad food (i.e., chocolate, chips, etc) for an extended period of time, I will get a migraine. I had one on Boxing Day (woke up with the aura...fun times) and I chalked that one up to eating like crap all throughout the Christmas holidays! I've cleaned up my diet since then and haven't had another.

My headaches were much more frequent and debilitating as a child but now I can mostly manage them if I take some extra strength tylonol and head to bed. Usually when I get the aura, if I'm at work, I'll call someone in to cover for me. Honestly, for me, the aura is the worst part. It makes me nauseous and it's scary not being able to see anything.

BerryH · January 2012

Thank you all so much! We might not have identified common causes, prevention or treatments, but you've all helped me feel a lot better, and, well, normal! I'm sure you, like me, assumed something terrible was wrong when you first got the aura, it's pretty scary stuff! I couldn't believe it when I saw a picture of exactly what I could see in my head after an internet search.

afwife4811 · January 2012

I get ocular migraines. I don't know what brings them on either. My 1st guess is low blood sugar, although I have never tested my blood sugar other than when the doctor orders blood panels. My 2nd guess is low sodium. I don't eat "normal" salt a lot because it makes me swell so when I work out and drink a lot of water my sodium level drop dangerously and I tend to get migraines. If you continue getting them, have your doctor check your sodium levels. I didn't realize until last year that low sodium can be as dangerous as too much sodium.

Sandy2658 · January 2012

I've been getting these on and off for the past 20 or so years. I remember the first time I had one I thought I was having a stroke or going blind. I thought it might have been blood sugar (since diabetes is in my family) so I had a glass of oj and rested.
Now I've learned that they are mostly triggered by bright light (i.e. sun reflecting off a shiny bumper) and they last for about 20 minutes (oj or not). The aura passes usually from my right eye into my left eye and then it's gone. No headache, but a sore aching feeling in my eye socket later. Fortunately I only get 2 or 3 a year on average.
I did experience horrible migraines about 2 years ago that lasted for weeks. I actually went and got an MRI. Everything was fine. No medications I took would take them away. I did some research online and found that magnesium supplements worked for some. I gave it a go and have been migraine free since.

rubybeach · January 2012

Sorry you are having these

Yes, unfortunately I have. It's very scary when you can't see for a few hours. After the 3rd incident, I saw my doctor who diagnosed it. He believes it's stress.......haven't had one in 6 months.

BerryH · January 2012

I've been getting these on and off for the past 20 or so years. I remember the first time I had one I thought I was having a stroke or going blind. I thought it might have been blood sugar (since diabetes is in my family) so I had a glass of oj and rested.
Now I've learned that they are mostly triggered by bright light (i.e. sun reflecting off a shiny bumper) and they last for about 20 minutes (oj or not). The aura passes usually from my right eye into my left eye and then it's gone. No headache, but a sore aching feeling in my eye socket later. Fortunately I only get 2 or 3 a year on average.

I did experience horrible migraines about 2 years ago that lasted for weeks. I actually went and got an MRI. Everything was fine. No medications I took would take them away. I did some research online and found that magnesium supplements worked for some. I gave it a go and have been migraine free since.

Thanks Sandy, that's very reassuring, and the magnesium's worth a shot. I thought exactly the same scary things, but add brain tumour into the mix!

They have all happened at work after a few bad nights' sleep in a row, so not I'm wondering if it's the fluorescent lights combined with fatigue. I had to change lights at home because they gave me headaches.

elizabethjohnson7758235 · June 2013

I've had regular migraines for over 20years usually 2 a year in November. This year I've had them at least once or twice a week (AT LEAST). I take Relpax, it does take the headache away but I also have stress headaches from worrying about the headaches,I have sinus headaches,and regular headaches. This is all new to me because I had NEVER been given meds for any of them which made them more INTENSE til I ended up getting a new doctor 4 months ago who explained this all to me. I now understand how one medicine doesn't work for the other and I am still in the process of discovering which headache I have so that I can take the right med. Two months ago I had to call my mom to take me to the doctor because my head hurt so bad I could not see anything but white and gray streaks the PAIN was unbearable!!!!! I wake up before the sun rises to take my son to school and MUST wear shades to HIDE from the sun (I've always LOVED the sun to shine directly into my eyes). Sometimes I see a gray spot in whatever I'm looking at. This past week I went on a mini vacation my left eye was soar. I got there and my right eye felt soooooo much PRESSURE, I could see the veins in my eyeball and it felt swollen. I took my migraine medicine even though I had no headache and the pain went away. YESTERDAY I went to the eye doctor and they said my eyes are very healthy as in no cancer or detached vessels but that I have OCULAR MIGRAINES and I need to do research on it because there is no medicine for it. I feel so much better knowing you guys have been there also because I felt like I was CraZY even saying I couldn't see.

warsumm · July 2013

im a 35-year old male and never had ocular migraines until 4 months ago. Since then, I've had 3, the most recent being today. I went to my regular doctor, finally, who said not to lose any sleep over it, that they are common in both males and females starting in their mid-30's and are completely harmless. The only lifestyle change I've made over the past 6-8 months is working out regularly, 3-5 times a week, with both weights and cardio-based exercises. Im sure they are related, but there are other triggers such as diet and stress. My doctor recommended an MRI to rule out more serious issues, but essentially said it's nothing to worry about. To me, it starts with a small blur in my field of vision; after about 10 minutes this blur scurries over to either my left or right peripheral vision where it becomes a thin band, eyebrow-shaped "rainbow"..thing. the last 8 minutes(for me, these have lasted 23-28 minutes each time) is the most intense and the rainbow becomes a throbbing, or flashing on one side of my peripheral vision. As it gets to its most intense point, visually...it just stops. That's it. Today, it happened on my right eye, stopped after 24 minutes, then after 10 minutes, began on my left eye, lasting 28 minutes. Post-migraine physical manifestations included a mild stomach ache, very mild headache, and a sense of extreme sleepiness.

mg7martin · December 2013

55 male --- wanted to reply as I have symptoms similiar to warsumm;

Have had 2 Ocular Migraines (best guess from the medical profession --)

- exercise induced -- especially workout that signifanctly pushes heart rate & blood pressure (interval type training)
- duration: 25 minutes both times
- symtom: a thin band rainbow of small kaleidoscopes (slight)

based on significant research, it appears to be completely benign (that is, until it's not -- unfortuntely, I probably would not be able to post and share that experience :-))

schlay · May 2014

I started a boxing fitness class with Title Boxing in Oct 2013, its an intense work out. After I really push it I tend to get the Ocular disruption but no headache, for me it last 20-30 minutes and generally occurs about an hour after working out. I also do weight training but never get them when I do that. My Ophthalmologist believes its an Ocular Migraine although I have never been formally diagnosed. Its interesting because I don't them every-time I have a hard work out, just every once in a while. I will feel fine, then all of a sudden it feels like my eyes were dilated, then I get zig zagging lines going across my eyes. I generally put my head on my desk for about 20-25 minutes and then the symptoms tend to subside. Like I said I do not get a headache, but the day after if I caught or sneeze I tend to feel a little discomfort in one eye. Other than that I have no vision issues.

Anyone else get ocular migraines?

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