Ocular migraine?

[MindfulMummy]

Does anyone have any experience of this or si. Ilar? I have been having disturbed vision recently, particularly in the evenings and it is accompanied by extreme nausea. I am a little concerned as it is new to me and quite unsettling. Would l be better off seeing an optician rather than gp? Any advice much appreciated. Ta.

See both , especially if this is anew thing for you
Dependant on your age it can be menopausal but still get checked out .

Make sure you eat regularly , limit your alcohol get enough sleep , these are all triggers for me ( but may be different for you )

Thank you for your helpful reply. I am 44...don't drink and it is new to me. Have noticed last night and today that l have a headache too.... Quite disconcerting. Trying to get an optician appointment today so will see gp after. Thanks.

Have you found anything that helps with yours apart from managing your triggers?

I've been getting them for about 35 years. Like sunlight on water around the edge of my vision. But with no headache.

Bright sunlight and too much screen use bring mine on.

I had an ocular migraine for the first time after years of regular migraine: no pain at first but I lost the sight in one and then both eyes, temporarily, before any pain started. My GP advised that sight loss should not last more than 30 mins with ocular migraine.

I would recommend seeing your GP and optician if this pattern is new for you.

If you have private health insurance you could cut out the middle man and go straight to a private ophthalmologist (google those working at your local private hospitals). Otherwise yes see your GP/optician and they can either reassure you or refer you on.

I sympathise - it is horrible.

I would start with GP, but probably see both.

My triggers are bright lights and low blood sugar.

I used to get this and I didn't know it was a thing until I read a post similar to yours. It started during pregancy when I was under a lot of stress

I now get it mainly if I'm over tired, a painkiller and taking a break usually head it off. I haven't seen an optician or GP as I know my triggers so don't know which to suggest for you, hopefully it's nothing to worry about

I have ocular migraine that is caused by a progressive neurological condition. I am also blind and the migraine symptoms drive me stupidly crazy every single time.

It causes awful 'pulsing' in my left eye and left ear, it's like having vibrations from an Ibiza night club in my head.

I have been prescribed pizotifen and clonozapam to take regularly every night. They have dampened the symptoms so I'm either stupid or crazy now instead of at the same time 🤓

I do take migraleve too if needed
Oddly once I am sick I feel better
Sometimes the light can start one , I take sunglassses everywhere in case I need them
Mine is awful headache like my skull in being drilled , and wavy hazy vision , if I was reading then the words merge and jump
It is very scary
First time I went to doc she was concerned could be a tia so please get checked ASAP

As a teenager, I had horrific migraines. Always seemed to happen at school and I spent the whole day in the medical room with blinding headache and throwing up bile. Then they gradually disappeared. Think they were hormonal. Had one when I was pregnant. Now, post-menopause, I get the occasional 'silent' one. No headache. Just visual disturbance. I could be reading, and one letter will blank out. ThenI get the aura, silvery shark's teeth at the edge of my vision. All over in 15 mins.

My triggers are mainly light. Anything with a strobe effect, like driving along a road lined with trees, so there are regular flashes across my vision. Also stripes, especially navy-blue and white. I once had to ask my supervisor if I could change seats at university because her curtains were making me feel sick.

A visit to an oculist would be a good idea. They can eliminate other causes. Then, if they think it's migraine, ask your GP for help.

See your opticians they'll do a thorough examination after which they will be able to reassure you or refer you. I have the ocular migrane without the headache just the psychedelic patterns, it passes after about 20 minutes. No specific triggers, I can get it once a day or go weeks and months without it.

Thanks everyone. I am not a worrier by nature but have noticed that l am experiencing pins and needles more often in my hands so that combined with wonky eyesight is causing me some concern. I had a call back from an optician yesterday who said she wasn't concerned as it sounded like ocular migraine (forgot to mention P & N though) but have an appointment with Specsavers at lunchtime today so hopefully they can help. Appreciate the advice and support. Thanks x

@MindfulMummy that’s interesting; I get pins and needles as a side effect of my migraine meds.

I am actually med-free (and pretty much headache/migraine free) at the moment after a run of acupuncture, which I hadn’t tried before.