Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatment and PreventionCopingFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment and Prevention
Coping
Frequently Asked Questions
Some practitioners use the termocular migraineto refer to retinal migraine, but strictly speaking, the retinal migraine is one of two subtypes of ocular migraine. The other type of ocular migraine ismigraine with aura, in which the visual disturbances that come before head pain affect both eyes.
Proper diagnosis of retinal migraine is important, as a vision problem that affects only one eye can be a symptom of a serious condition, such asstrokeor a detached retina.
Once diagnosed with retinal migraines, managing the condition usually focuses on preventing episodes with lifestyle changes, identifying and avoidingtriggers, and, if necessary, the same prophylactic medications used to prevent “regular” migraine headaches (the ones with auras).
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Some people also experiencescintillations,or flashes of light.
Remember, these symptoms affectonly one eye. This means if you were to close the eye that’s affected, your vision out of the other eye would be normal. By contrast, visual changes resulting from migraine with aura would be apparent whichever eye is open.
According to theAmerican Migraine Foundation, “in retinal migraine, the vision symptoms are coming from the eye (so are only seen with one eye), while in migraine with typical aura the vision symptoms are coming from the brain (so are seen with both eyes).”
Most of the time, retinal migraine symptoms are relatively short and last between five and 20 minutes. However, visual disturbances can last up to an hour before a headache and othermigraine symptomsset in.
About 75% of the time, migraine pain will develop on the same side of the head as the affected eye.
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The exact physiology of retinal migraine is unknown.
A vasospasm is the narrowing of vessels that supply blood. It can affect the retina or ciliary body vessels. The ciliary body is a separate structure that produces fluid and contains the muscle that changes the shape of the lens of the eye to help with focus.
People at increased risk of retinal migraine headaches include those who:
The Role of Genetics in Migraine Headaches
No designated tests can diagnose retinal migraines. Healthcare providers look at your medical history and symptoms, perform a physical exam, and, in most cases, order tests to rule out other potential causes of monocular vision loss.
For example, a brain scan may be used to see whether you’ve had astroke, while blood tests or urinalysis may be ordered to check for lupus or sickle cell anemia.
To be diagnosed as retinal migraine, the visual aura must involve only one eye, be temporary, and meet at least two of the following criteria:
The focus of managing retinal migraines is on prevention rather than usingabortive medicationsto stop them once they occur.
This approach begins with identifying triggers that may be responsible for bringing on symptoms. Keeping a written log of when retinal migraines occur and what you were doing just prior to vision changes is the easiest and most straightforward way to do this.
How to Make a Headache Diary Template
If you need preventive medication, your healthcare provider may prescribe an oral migraine prevention medication, such as:
To deal with head pain and other symptoms that follow the visual disturbances of retinal migraine, you can turn to pain relievers, including Tylenol (acetaminophen) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil (ibuprofen).
Some ways to ease visual symptoms of retinal migraine are to:Rest your eyesGet away from harsh light or sunlightTake break from looking at a screen
Some ways to ease visual symptoms of retinal migraine are to:
Yes, anxiety can lead to ocular migraines. Stress and dehydration are also commonly associated triggers. The exact cause of ocular migraines is not fully understood, but they may be related to a family history of migraines.
Yes, you can have an ocular migraine in one eye. An ocular migraine episode may cause one eye to see flashing images alongside a headache. These episodes do not usually last long, but they can be uncomfortable. It is more common that a small blind spot known as a scotoma takes up the vision of one eye.
Learn MoreHeadaches and Your Vision
A retinal migraine is a type of ocular migraine. However, it’s different than the other type (migraine with aura) because it only affects one eye.
It may be a sign of a more serious condition. Contact your healthcare provider if you think you have a retinal migraine.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pula JH, Yuen CA.Eyes and stroke: the visual aspects of cerebrovascular disease.Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2017 Jul 6;2(4):210-220. doi:10.1136/svn-2017-000079Prasad S, Galetta SL.Approach to the patient with acute monocular visual loss.Neurol Clin Pract. 2012 Mar;2(1):14-23. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0b013e31824cb084Al Khalili Y, Jain S, King KC.Retinal migraine headache. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.Vision Center.Ocular Migraines: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.Istrate BM, Vîlciu C, Răgan C.Retinal migraine.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2020;64(2):96-99.Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Opthalmology.Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Migraines.American Migraine Foundation.Understanding Ocular Migraine.International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd Edition.Retinal Migraine.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pula JH, Yuen CA.Eyes and stroke: the visual aspects of cerebrovascular disease.Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2017 Jul 6;2(4):210-220. doi:10.1136/svn-2017-000079Prasad S, Galetta SL.Approach to the patient with acute monocular visual loss.Neurol Clin Pract. 2012 Mar;2(1):14-23. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0b013e31824cb084Al Khalili Y, Jain S, King KC.Retinal migraine headache. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.Vision Center.Ocular Migraines: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.Istrate BM, Vîlciu C, Răgan C.Retinal migraine.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2020;64(2):96-99.Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Opthalmology.Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Migraines.American Migraine Foundation.Understanding Ocular Migraine.International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd Edition.Retinal Migraine.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Pula JH, Yuen CA.Eyes and stroke: the visual aspects of cerebrovascular disease.Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2017 Jul 6;2(4):210-220. doi:10.1136/svn-2017-000079Prasad S, Galetta SL.Approach to the patient with acute monocular visual loss.Neurol Clin Pract. 2012 Mar;2(1):14-23. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0b013e31824cb084Al Khalili Y, Jain S, King KC.Retinal migraine headache. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.Vision Center.Ocular Migraines: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.Istrate BM, Vîlciu C, Răgan C.Retinal migraine.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2020;64(2):96-99.
Pula JH, Yuen CA.Eyes and stroke: the visual aspects of cerebrovascular disease.Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2017 Jul 6;2(4):210-220. doi:10.1136/svn-2017-000079
Prasad S, Galetta SL.Approach to the patient with acute monocular visual loss.Neurol Clin Pract. 2012 Mar;2(1):14-23. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0b013e31824cb084
Al Khalili Y, Jain S, King KC.Retinal migraine headache. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.
Vision Center.Ocular Migraines: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.
Istrate BM, Vîlciu C, Răgan C.Retinal migraine.Rom J Ophthalmol. 2020;64(2):96-99.
American Academy of Opthalmology.Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Migraines.American Migraine Foundation.Understanding Ocular Migraine.International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd Edition.Retinal Migraine.
American Academy of Opthalmology.Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Migraines.
American Migraine Foundation.Understanding Ocular Migraine.
International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd Edition.Retinal Migraine.
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