Ocular migraine

Headaches of all kinds can be painful. There are many types of headaches that one can suffer from and migraines are one of them. However, migraines have their own classification and there can also be different types of migraines that one can experience as well. When most people hear the word migraine they often think of a severe and debilitating type of headache pain but there is a type of migraine that may not cause any pain at all.

The ocular migraine may or may not be accompanied by typical headache pain. It is actually more common for the ocular migraine to be painless and only last for about a half an hour or less. At this point you are probably wondering why this is even called a migraine since it does not meet any of the common criteria for a classic migraine. Well ocular migraines are only labeled migraine because of the activity that goes on inside the brain. Changes in the flow of blood inside the brain can cause visual problems. Ocular migraines are migraines that are related to the eyes. This does not mean that all people who have an ocular migraine will not have any pain at all. Many people who do experience ocular migraines can in fact have a lot pain, usually behind the eyes. Some people may also experience nausea or vomiting and sensitivity towards light or sound.

The most common symptom of an ocular migraine is having sudden vision impairments. Ocular migraines can cause different types of vision problems but all of them are temporary and pass rather quickly. Having a blind spot in one area of the eye is common as well as blurred vision, the appearance of cracked glass in your eye or speckles of light that can flicker in the eyes. A lot people who suffer from ocular migraines will also complain of having double vision as well.

Since these migraines are often experienced without pain, many people begin thinking they have eye problems and rush to the eye doctor for an exam. Unfortunately since the underlying cause of the migraine has nothing to do with the eyes themselves the eye doctor usually cannot find a reason for the vision impairments. This leaves the patient confused and wondering what is going on inside their head.

Luckily, ocular migraines are typically harmless and have nothing to do with a serious medical condition. Some people who have reoccurring episodes of ocular migraines may have something more serious going on but they are generally rare and do not occur often. The best thing you can do if you start to experience an ocular migraine is to close your eyes and rest until it passes. If you experience an ocular migraine while driving or during a critical time then you should get out of harm’s way and wait until the vision impairments pass before continuing on.

If you are lucky and happen to experience an ocular migraine without the painful symptoms then just allowing time for your vision to clear should be helpful. If you end up with an ocular migraine that causes severe pain you should try to treat the pain as soon as it begins. The longer you wait to take something for the migraine the worse the migraine will become and the longer it will take to pass. Taking some basic over the counter pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol may be enough to cure the headache. For those that experience severe pain or have migraines or vision impairments frequently, a trip to the doctor is advisable. In order to prevent these from reoccurring you may need a prescription medication.

Last updated on Apr 24th, 2010 and filed under Neurological Disorders. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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