Flashes of light, shimmering stars and then black. While this may sound like the climactic end to a sci-fi movie, don't be fooled. These are the symptoms people may experience when they suffer from an ocular migraine also called as retinal migraine. This is a different condition and shouldn’t be confused with headache type migraine which is known as migraine aura that usually affects the vision of both eyes. Ocular migraine may cause partial or total loss of vision in one eye and this usually lasts approximately 15-30 minutes before vision gradually returns.
Since ocular migraines are a type of migraine that are in maximum cases painless and silent, the experts use only these words while referring them to people. However, one cannot interchange these two terms. Ocular migraines can’t be used interchangeably with name tag of ‘silent migraine’. These are the migraine where people experience auras in vision,accompanied with or without headache and temporary loss of vision.
Usually, the symptoms go away on their own within 30 minutes. The symptoms of the two conditions are nearly the same except for a few prominent signs. The main difference is a migraine with aura will affect both eyes, while an ocular migraine affects only one and can be painless. Both may have visual disturbances like:
- Flashes of light
- Zigzagging patterns
- Blind spots
- Shimmering, coloured, or flickering lights
- Floating lines
Signs
- Numbness or tingling in hands or face
- Experiencing mental fogginess or fuzzy
- Impaired senses of taste or smell
- Nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty in moving around
- Trouble in speaking or understanding known as aphasia
Causes
Ocular migraine can be triggered by high blood pressure, stress, excessive heat, smoking, disturbed sleep cycle, high altitude and usually tend to be more common among women, people aged <40 years, or people with family history.
The exact cause of ocular migraine is unknown. Leading theories attribute them to spasms in retinal blood vessels, and changes to nerve cells in the retina. Theories have also stated that it is caused by electrical activity in brain usually when an electrical impulse causes abnormal activity. It then spreads over the surface of the brain and hence triggers 'ocular migraine'. Some theories have also linked that there are certain factors triggering regular migraines which might trigger ocular migraines. Some of these factors include disturbed sleep cycle, caffeine, hormonal changes, dehydration and stress.
Treatment
Taking care of oneself is the key treatment here. Keep a detailed dairy to maintain a record of the elements that trigger ocular migraines for you. The elements can be food, medications, weather conditions or lights that might trigger them. Acupuncture and acupressure and even ice bags are some of the remedies apart from prescriptive medications that can be beneficial for such patients.
Wait for the symptoms to go away. In the interim, rest the eyes, avoid bright light, avoid stress factors and minimising screen time can also bring relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications and anti-nausea medications can be beneficial. Your doctor may prescribe beta-blocker and or calcium-channel blocker. However, visit your ophthalmologist.
The Writer is Dr Arindam Dey Head, CDMA at ALCON INDIA
