It is also known as an Ophthalmic migraine and Ocular migraine which causes a migraine headache and a very rare disorder considered by attacks of visual loss or disturbances which typically affects only one eye. The terms a retinal migraine and ocular migraine are frequently confused with a visual migraine, which is a distant common symptom of vision loss, causing from the aura phase of a common migraine which can arise with or without a headache. Visual migraines happen in the brain whereas retinal or ocular migraines occur in the eye and affect the vision in that eye.
The symptoms of Ocular Migraine are
- Temporary monocular visual loss(scotoma) in one eye lasting less than an hour
- A throbbing headache on one side
- Severe sensitivity to light
- Nausea
However, when retinal migraines symptoms are present then it may become difficult to read and even dangerous to drive a vehicle.
The below video illustrates the onset of Migraine Visual Aura.
Diagnosis of Ocular Migraine
A common retinal examination is reliable with retinal migraines. In the medical examinations, any primary causes such as blood clot, stroke, pituitary tumor, or detached retina should be ruled out.
Treatment of Ocular Migraine
Depends on behavior that triggers a migraine such as stress, sleep deprivation, skipped meals, food sensitivities or specific activities.
Medicines used for ocular migraines are Aspirin, ibuprofen, and Naproxen, medicines that reduce high blood pressure.
Broadly, the factual occurrence of ocular migraines is unknown. The scenario for a retinal migraine is similar to that of migraine headaches with typical aura. In one of the studies, it proposes that more than half of the reported periodic cases of retinal migraines consequently experienced permanent visual loss in the particular eye from infarcts (an area of tissue death, due to local lack of oxygen caused by obstruction of the tissue’s blood supply).