Retinal/optical migraines - any experiences?

[AmyStake]

I didn't even know such a thing existed until I went to the GP yesterday after being referred by my optician (my boss). I had a very scary episode on Tuesday with a big line across my eye, a bubbling water type of effect and I lost some of my field of vision in my left eye for about 30 minutes, I was panicking so much! So I'm glad it's nothing serious but I know nothing about them other than I don't really get much of a headache, just eye pain. I don't know how to describe it other than it feels like I've been up all night watching TV without my glasses on.

Had this migraine for about 72 hours now. It's crap. I've got sumatriptan, I took one yesterday and it worked for 2 hours, but it made me feel a bit.. weird!

Anyone got any tips or advice please?

[Meita]

Poor you, it's terrifying the first time it happens isn't it! And very annoying every next time...

I have 'migraines accompagnees' sometimes the 'sans migraines' version...
In other words, I have vision effects, sometimes without the actual headache later on.

I suppose mine are different to yours - my eyes don't hurt, I just can't see right anymore. As in, I see letters on a page but not all of them, so I can't put the words together, or sometimes I can see individual words but not sentences. Or, I can see the street but no cars on it (even though they are there and moving towards me). But it is usually not for more than a few hours. Still, very disabling. Nothing helps - I just have to wait it out. However, if I take Aspirin immediately when it starts, I can sometimes avoid the splitting headache later on. But headache or not, I feel sore for several days afterwards.

Only advice: For as long as you can, lie flat with eyes closed in dark, quiet room. Sorry, nothing else really...

[staggerlee]

I've just been diagnosed with aura/optical migraines and never get headaches-just lots of very weird visual disturbances like zig zags, flashes of light then eventually tunnel vision.

I'm lucky as they only last about 30 mins then gradually disappear.Like meita the only thing that helps is to do nothing and rest. I was also prescribed propananol to prevent them but they make me feel strange so I stopped taking them.

It might help to find out your triggers-mine are tiredness and stress (not always easy to avoid!)

[LeMousquetaireAnonyme]

As meita and stagerlee, plus another trigger: hormones.
I agree a sleep usually get rid of them (not always easy!)

[Meita]

Oh yes, triggers - if it was your first time, probably hard to determine for sure, but might help for the future to think about the circumstances prior to it starting. Like, what did you have to eat, to drink (caffeine is a common one), were you stressed, what stage in your menstrual cycle... I have one sure fire way to make it happen (so obviously avoid it): Lying on my front, head/upper body lifted up, watching TV. Strange, but 'works' every time... Think might have something to do with bad posture in combination with TV screen.