Eye migraines, also known as ocular migraines or retinal migraines, may give you brief episodes of blindness or flashing lights in one eye. Needless to say, it can be a strange or frightening experience. Let us see what these eye migraines are, and if they cause any harm to your eyes.
What is Retinal Migraine?
A retinal migraine is a rare eye condition. Retinal migraine occurs in the eye – usually only one eye. It typically occurs in individuals who also have other symptoms of migraine. It makes a person experience repeated short bouts of partial vision loss. For instance, blind spots. Eye migraines may strike before or during a headache. However, sometimes, there may be no headache at all. Some individuals experience retinal migraine every few months, but the frequency may vary from person to person.
What are Symptoms of Retinal Migraine?
Here are the typical signs of retinal migraine:
- Partial or total vision loss in one eye – usually for a few minutes to an hour before vision slowly comes back
- Headache – before, during, or after the vision loss
- Typically does not last for more than an hour
- Generally affects the same eye every time
The patient may experience vision slowly getting dim or blurry, or flashes of light. Some patients notice scotomas or blank spots in a mosaic-like pattern. These blank spots may become bigger in size to result in complete vision loss.
When to Seek Medical Advice
If you notice sudden vision loss and do not have any known history of an eye condition, you must immediately visit a trusted eye specialist.
Retinal migraine causes vision changes in one eye, but the vice-versa may not necessarily be true. To elaborate, it is not necessary that if you have a problem with vision in only one eye, it would definitely be because of retinal migraine. It could be due to some more serious condition, and it may require immediate treatment.
Visit an eye specialist right away if you encounter symptoms that you have not seen earlier, such as:
- Changes in vision of one eye
- Vision changes lasting for less than 5 minutes or more than an hour
- No headache with vision changes
- Headaches or vision changes after you cross 50
- New weakness in half the body or changes in speech
Such symptoms may point to something more serious than a retinal migraine and demand urgent medical attention. Eyesight suddenly getting worse, especially for the first time, must not be brushed aside lightly. Doctors will want to rule out the more serious causes of sight loss.
How is Retinal Migraine Diagnosed?
If you manage to get your eyes examined during an attack, your eye care provider may be able to notice the decreased blood flow to your eye. They do it with the help of tests and instruments. In this scenario, they can confidently diagnose retinal migraine.
However, attacks being short and infrequent, your eye doctor will have to diagnose the condition based on your symptoms. Brain scans and/or other tests may be recommended to rule out other grave eye conditions or stroke.
What Causes Retinal Migraine?
It is believed that when blood vessels supplying blood to the eye suddenly become narrow (constricted), so that blood flow to the eye gets reduced, you get an attack of retinal migraine. Although the exact cause of eye migraines isn’t fully understood, it is commonly triggered by:
- Stress and anxiety
- High blood pressureĀ
- Low blood sugar
- Smoking
- Exercise
- Bending
- Hormonal birth control pills
- High altitude
- Dehydration
- Lack of sleep
- Bright lights or screen exposure
- Certain foods (like chocolate, cheese, red wine)
- Heat
Later, the blood vessels relax, so that normal blood flow to the eye resumes and you can see normally once again. There are usually no defects in the eye, and permanent damage to the eye is rare.
Risk Factors for Retinal Migraine?
The condition is more commonly seen in:
- Women
- Those aged below 40
- Personal or family history of migraines or other headaches
- Individuals with diseases like epilepsy, sickle cell anaemia, atherosclerosis, lupus, etc.
What is the Treatment for Retinal Migraine?
Retinal migraine is generally treated with pain relief medications for headaches along with management of triggers – by reducing exposure to known triggers. You may also be prescribed preventive medicines to try reducing the frequency of attacks. However, there is no particular best treatment for the condition. Your eye specialist may have to try several different medicines to determine which gives you relief.
Are Eye Migraines Dangerous?
Generally, eye migraines are not dangerous. They usually subside in a few minutes on their own without causing any lasting damage to your vision. However, there is a minor risk of the retina and blood vessels of the eye getting damaged due to the restricted blood flow.
Your ophthalmologist will monitor your condition and its effects in follow-up appointments. The good news is that permanent loss of vision due to retinal migraines is rare.
However, when you experience vision loss for the first time, it is critical to rule out such conditions as retinal detachment, stroke, and other serious conditions with similar symptoms.
Conclusion
Eye migraines can be alarming, but they are usually harmless and short-lived. Still, any sudden change in vision should never be ignored. If you are experiencing recurring episodes of visual changes or blackouts, it is best to get evaluated by an expert eye specialist in Chandigarh and /or a neurologist to rule out other eye or brain-related conditions. Early diagnosis and proper management can spare you from discomfort, and help protect your vision in the long run.
