What You Should Know About Ocular Migraine

Ocular migraines involve a series of unusual visual sensations that are usually followed by a migraine headache. People who already suffer from classic migraines tend to also have ocular migraines

What Exactly Happens During an Ocular Migraine

An ocular migraine typically occurs in one eye. As ocular migraine starts, you might notice that something just is not right with your vision. You might see a tiny spot that gradually gets bigger after a few minutes, followed by shimmering or the presence of a colored, zig-zagged border.

Your vision eventually becomes patchy, as the shimmering pattern expands to the center and outer part of your vision. This distortion will linger on for about 15 to 30 minutes, where it could travel to the side of your vision and then just disappear. A migraine headache may or may not develop, although most people who go through this experience say that they feel exhausted afterwards.

Probable Causes of Ocular Migraine

While the exact cause has yet to be determined, an ocular migraine is believed to be triggered by an unusual stimulation of the nerves at the back of the brain. In a classical migraine, it is the surface of the brain that is affected by the spasm. On the other hand, in an ocular migraine, it is the blood supply to the eye or the brain's vision area that is affected.

Frequency of Ocular Migraines

Ocular migraines seem to occur with no particular pattern, in as much the same way as classic migraines. You could experience several ocular migraines in a given week and then not have them anymore for months or even years.

Warning Signs that an Ocular Migraine is Coming

Becoming somewhat extra-sensitive to light and/or sound could be a warning signal that an ocular migraine is about to occur.

Who to Consult

If you are worried about losing your sight due to ocular migraines, you should consult with an ophthalmologist. It is also a good idea to see a neurologist who can rule out other conditions that may be causing the same symptoms for ocular migraine, like a blood clot in the retinal artery or a migraine with aura and stroke.

Treatment for Ocular Migraine

Treatment for ocular migraines is not usually required, but since ocular migraines seem to be brought on by the same triggers for migraine, prevention is the best way to deal with them. You should avoid the things that can trigger the ocular migraine, strive to keep your stress levels down, stick to a regular routine and ensure that you are getting adequate sleep.

If you notice that a migraine headache usually comes after an ocular migraine, taking medications for migraine headaches may help relieve your ocular migraine. However, you should never take triptans to treat ocular migraine. Triptans are commonly used for the treatment of migraine as they reduce the enlargement of blood vessels, thereby removing the pressure on nerves. The constricting effect of triptans can adversely affect the blood vessels of the retina and might result in lost vision. Known triptans include Sumatriptan (Imitrex), Zolmitriptan (Zomig) and Naratriptan (Amerge). Other types of triptans are also available, so if you are unsure of what you are not supposed to use, talk to your doctor.