Ocular migraine

[failingfast]

Over the past few years I have had what I believe (after googling!) to be ocular migraines. They occurred very infrequently in the past - the first when I was pregnant in 2005 and another a few years later. But in the past couple of months I've had them more frequently. I've just had my second in as many weeks.

They start as a small circular blind spot, which is like black and white stripes. The circle opens up and gets slowly bigger, still flashing, until it is a crescent in my peripheral vision. Eventually it disappears. It probably lasts around 20 minutes in total.

Does anyone else have these? And if so have you ever spoken with anyone about them? I'm not unduly worried. Migraines are prevalent in my family with both my mother and my sister suffering. My sister suffers to the extent of being very ill for a couple of days at a time. I feel fortunate that I don't experience any sickness or pain with mine; my main worry I suppose is that they may develop into something worse over time.

If anyone has experienced them or knows anything about them, please come and talk to me about them

Hi I had a couple a few years ago, like those you describe. I think they were triggered by the combined pill which had raised my blood pressure with stress/tiredness on top. I was taken straight off the combined pill as it is seriously contra-indicated for ocular migraine. I went onto the mini pill Cerazette and have not had any episodes since. HTH

I get them occasionally. Usually at times when I'm going through hormonal change (TOTM or ovulation) and I'm tired AND dehydrated. I've found that they leave me woolly headed, but go away after a big drink of water. I had about 3 in 2 months, which worried, me, but after I sussed the pattern, I've only had about one a year since then.

I've had them for over 40 years now. I used to get one just before a period - then quite a few when I was pregnant, so obviously hormone related.

Now I'm older I get them if I'm stressed. I can go a year or more without one then have two or three in a row - in fact I had one in my sleep the other night (dreamed I was looking at bright lights!) When I woke up it had almost gone.

I never have a headache with them, just the vision symptoms very similar to yours. My doc & optician just say I'm lucky not to have any pain.

Same as Ponyofdoom, I had just like you described although those symptoms were then followed by classic migraine - pounding head and need to be in a dark room.

Doctor suggested could be down to the combined pill and since I switched (8+ yrs ago) have had no problems.

Hi OP.

I get them. The first one I had came on very suddenly and the blind spot increased until I was totally blind in one eye. My vision then came back with flashing and waviness etc in 3 stages - first the left side, then the right, then the bit in the middle. I was also convinced that my eye was shut even though my DH was saying it wasn't!

I went to the opticians to have my eyes checked as thought there must be something wrong with me and I know they can see loads behind your eye. From that I got referred (optician wrote to my GP and asked them to refer me to a consultant) but this was because I had a really unusually high eye pressure.

I saw the consultant who firstly said my pressure was not high at all and it was the thickness of my corneas that was the problem (The equipment opticians use do not take into account the thickness of the cornea apparently!). I told him about the weird blind eye and he said it is called an opthalmic migraine (and nothing to do with the cornea or pressure issue). He said they are not usually sore (mine never are) and that it is just a reaction going on behind the eye. Nothing at all to worry about and quite common. He said there is usually a trigger - like caffeine or chocolate or something. The feeling of the eye being shut is due to the muscles reacting in the eye.

If you get them a lot and they are very troublesome there is medication you can take. I get maybe 2 a month lasting 10 or so minutes.

If you are worried, talk to your GP who can refer you and then at least you would know that that is what it is as opposed to something else.

Oh, thank you for posting this! I think my DD (10) has been having these over the past week.

She occasionally gets migraine with aura, but last week was just having the aura with no headache. It was most strange, but this article describes it perfectly.

I've always thought her migraines were food related, but perhaps they are hormone-caused for her too. Puberty is definitely racing up on her.

Thanks for your replies.

I think I need to work on spotting my triggers. I have just come on my period, and I've been quite stressed lately so it could be something to do with hormone / stress levels. I never drink enough water. I always nag at the kids to do so but never do it myself

Thanks again for sharing; seems like it's not an uncommon phenomenon. I'm very relieved that I don't have the usual accompanying pain of a migraine as I've seen first hand how debilitating that can be.

Sorry to hear your daughter's suffering, Peri. I imagine it must be quite scary for a child to experience; I find them quite unsettling as an adult.

Thanks for that article - not one that I found through googling! Interesting to read about the prodome. I have experienced a change to my mood over the past week or so - mainly an increase in my anxiety and stress levels. I suppose the questions is whether the mood causes the migraine or is a symptom of one to come.

I've been drinking red wine for the past few nights which, according to that article, is a known trigger.

I had to chuckle at this part of the article It's also a good idea to keep a journal of your diet and activities just prior to your episodes of ocular migraine or migraine with aura to see if you can identify possible migraine triggers that you can avoid in the future Keep a diary just prior to an episode? Difficult when you don't know when an episode will occur

I get these every now and again but usually I get classic migraines.

re the diary, LOL! I know! It is hard, but well worth it. Thinking on food triggers for my mum - processed meat, monosodium glutamate, all citrus juices, chocolate, erm... can't remember any more.

Females in our family do suffer from migraines but thankfully, mine seem to be easing off (possibly related to the Mirena? not really had one since it went in...). Didn't expect them to hit DD so young though - she had her first when she was 8 . I tend to blame hers on 'chemical sweets' and other crappy food. Other triggers are strawberries, of all things. And screen time. We're still working on it but it's useful for keeping her bad habits in check.

And yes, it's utterly terrifying for her and me