Ocular Migraine

[winniesanderson]

I've just had what I think was an ocular migraine for the first time (I'm 40). It was like a rainbow coloured lightning bolt that flashed and kept getting bigger and bigger. Absolutely terrified me - thank god for Google. But I was wondering if anyone else has had them did/do you feel really cold afterwards? I'm not normally one for feeling the cold but even now 20 mins later I'm shaking and can't warm up.

Also any idea on what triggers them? It's been an insanely stressful day here and I've had about 3 hours sleep since 3am Saturday morning so I'm guessing this might be what's caused it. But I've been sleep deprived plenty before and never experienced anything like it.

I enjoyed the second one after realising I wasn't going blind!

Exactly once the fear is removed!

Definitely worth getting your retinas checked. Retinal detachment can look like that too.

I used to get them very occasionally but they ramped up in my 40s. Must have been hormonal because I started the mini pill and haven't had one since.

I found if I took a paracetamol immediately my eyes stayed going funny it would sort it out quickly.

I had one once. It was like looking though a rippling puddle. I thought I was going blind so called the GP who sent me to the eye hospital. They diagnosed it after some tests. They recommended coming off the combined pill, which I did. I haven’t had once since.

I get these too. Seem to be hormone related as they occur at the same time on my menstrual cycle (although not every month... probably about 3 or 4 times a year).
I also pretty much go blind on one side for an hour or so, and I feel a bit weird.

So glad I found this thread this afternoon I experienced what I think was an ocular migraine according to google?
I noticed wavy lines like rising wavy heat lines maybe a bit pixilated? ( hard to describe properly) out of the corner of my right eye, to look straight on was fine but I could see the wavy lines going on to the side of my eye if that makes any sense!?
It lasted maybe 30/40 minutes roughly I was getting a bit worried and then I realised it was gone

Since covid started I get what I believe to be migraines ( haven't been diagnosed) as they go on for about 48 hours or so and I get a pressure over my right eye with them usually so when this happened today it sort of made sense it could be to do with a migraine?
I've never heard of ocular migraine before and I've never had this happen before

I get them exactly as shown in that picture. I find that taking paracetamol straight away cuts it short/makes it less severe.
Mine started when I was doing an online course and getting a bit stressed, and also watched a TV programme with lots of frantic quick change camera shots. Have had a few since then. The last one was when I was sorting through jigsaw pieces! So mine come with a combination of stress, screen, and some sort of jazzy stuff I'm looking at.

I've had one start whilst driving. Pull over and wait it out if this happens, if like me you lose the centre of your vision. You can't see the traffic properly.

@Pocketfullofdogtreats I see you mentioned a picture so I went back through this thread I'd missed it somehow, and yes that's more or less what it was like for me today

The first time I had one of these I was with DH in the car, and I pointed up at the sky and said "Look at that rainbow - it's flashing!" He couldn't see it, of course. I closed my eyes and it was still there. They last about 20 mins. They aren't awful, but I do feel a bit wobbly afterwards. Not cold though, I don't think.

I have lots of triggers, but thankfully, although I get migraines they aren't at the worst end of the scale, and actually those with aura tend to be not as bad as some-possibly because I realise and get pain killers quicker.

My triggers:

Worst is light.
Flickering (like in a car driving through trees) is probably the worst, but I can also get it from very bright lights shone straight at me (I've noticed shining a light from the stage straight at the audience seems to be getting more common and that is a problem), but also waking to bright sunlight-I have black-out blinds in the bedroom now which has made quite a difference.

Other triggers:
Dehydration
hunger
stress
sudden shock/scare (eg loud bang just behind me)
Relief from short-term intense stress (like if you can't find a child for 5 minutes type thing)
waking suddenly (even an alarm can do that if I was fast asleep)
Something heavy on my shoulders
needing to wash my hair (that's an odd one. I can be feeling absolutely terribly, and the moment I put shampoo on it clears like magic)
hormones
sudden intense pain (like standing on a plug!)
Using screen without reading glasses
Tired
A very long deep sleep when I've been very tired.

I'm also more prone to another migraine if I'd had one in the last 2-3 days. I'd describe it a bit like having a graze. You're aware of it there, but it doesn't hurt like when you first did it, but if you knock it again it's instantly painful again. If I get a trigger after a migraine has gone, then it can come back very quickly and normally worse than the first one.

I've had them very, very occasionally since my early 30s.

For me, they last around 10 minutes. I don't usually experience a headache with them - just a rainbow coloured scintillating arc that gradually expands until it disappears. My triggers are usually a combination of some of the following: lack of sleep; stress; not drinking enough; hunger; foods with nitrates in them, like corned beef, ham and bacon. I also experienced one after checking 300 shiny, white bathroom tiles for flaws. Being driven in or walking in dappled sunlight can also trigger. I also had one recently the second day after starting on progesterone tablets when I hadn't had one for five years, but have not had one since.

My husband gets them too and they sometimes affect his speech for a few minutes while they are in progress.

Interesting article in National Geographic about Hubert Airy’s descriptions in the 19th century of his visual migraines:

www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/the-19th-century-doctor-who-mapped-his-hallucinations

The 19th Century Doctor Who Mapped His Hallucinations
BY GREG MILLER, PUBLISHED JUNE 13, 2016 • 7 MIN READ

(You shouldn't need to enter an email or be a subscriber to access the article.)

Mine don't hurt but it's like looking at an untuned telly. It's been a while since I had one and I can't remember the after effects.

My normal migraines are utter bastards and make me feel shit for about 36 hours afterwards.

Ocular migraines are definitely better!

Some examples of occular migraines

Visual or ocular migraine is aura/similar to aura without head pain. Those videos aren't specifically visual migraine? For me it's like the visual disturbance you get from looking directly at a bright light accompanied with flashing black and white zigzag lines going on for 20 to 25 minutes.

The videos were similar to the ocular effects that I get with migraine, although not as beautiful, and the effects that I experience progress much more slowly than shown in the videos. I also experience a blind spot, but this is different to how it's shown in the video - it's a blind spot where I might or might not be aware that something is missing. So if it's over someone's face, I suppose I know logically that I've got a blind spot, but I wouldn't necessarily have known if that wasn't the case.

I got ocular migraines in puberty, pregnancy and now menopause. So definitely hormonal for me.
I lose site in both eyes, struggle with speech and it feels like I'm staring into the sun so I need darkness.

The only thing that helps is the sumatriptan I get from GP and sleep. After the migraine, I'm absolutely exhausted and it takes a few days to feel better. The migraine hangover is real!

I get classic migraines and migraine with aura. Classic I’ve had since puberty and the aura ones started when I was about 23 yo. The aura ones are hideous , I usually end up very sick (vomiting and can’t move). The classic migraines come on slower so I have more time for my medication to kick in. Highly recommend keeping some anti-emetics like Zofran /Ondansetron etc if you are prone to vomiting.

@Fremdschämen how are unow ? Are u still taking the mini pill? Im anout to start it but u get these migraines and abit scared now … xx

So relieved to read others get this too, i have recently started having this symptom and its really worried me

They are terrifying - I'm getting more used to it now

If you haven't been formally diagnosed though, go see your Optician

I get them fairly regularly. Triggers are hormonal , tiredness and dehydration.

The best thing is to take 2 Aspirin as soon as they start. It normally clears mine within minutes.

What you had / are having OP was migraine with aura. Ocular migraine is more commonly called retinal migraine now and usually affects just one eye, and is much more serious.

Migraine with aura is still the pits though, especially as you never know when it will suddenly hit. Driving up the M1 alone was probably my worst experience of the most inconvenient place to lose half your vision.

You may feel like you've got a hangover for the next day or two. Don't overdo things as, unfortunately, you can get another one if you haven't fully recovered.

I have had a few. Stress was the trigger.