Understanding Ocular Migraines
An ocular migraine is characterized by temporary vision loss or even blindness that is caused by reduced blood flow behind the eye or in the retina. These migraines can be painless or can be a part of migraine headache. Understanding the ocular migraine is the first step towards differentiating between the rare condition and other migraines with similar symptoms.
The Difference Between Ocular and Visual Migraines
Migraine sufferers often go untreated or undergo incorrect treatments because they do not have all the right information. Ocular migraines and visual migraines are sometimes misidentified because they share similar symptoms.
Ocular Migraine: This migraine type is rare and only affects one eye. They are caused by restricted blood flow in the blood vessels in the retina behind the eye and can cause vision loss and temporary blindness. These migraines generally do not last any longer than an hour.
Visual Migraine: Visual migraines can be characterized by temporary visual abnormalities, such as migrating blind spots, colored light surrounding blind spots, or flickering blind spots near the center of a person’s field of vision.
What Caused My Ocular Migraine?
Those with a family history of migraines are at high risk for migraine headaches. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), migraine headaches are activated when the brain releases inflammatory substances around the blood vessels in the brain as a response to a chemical irregularity.
Common Migraine Triggers
Those who suffer from migraines are often susceptible to unique “triggers” that cause a person to have a migraine attack. The following are common migraine triggers.
- Sleep: The connection between migraines and sleep is at the top of every list. When your sleep schedule becomes irregular, your body takes longer to repair, putting you at risk for a migraine attack.
- Diet: Foods have a huge impact on the appearance of migraines. Food additives, including MSG and artificial sweeteners, also cause migraines in some people.
- Smells: Strong odors, such as cigarette smoke and perfume, can be a trigger for some migraine sufferers.
- Caffeine and Alcohol: Know your limit. Overindulgence can be the Achilles heel to many migraine sufferers. Some alcoholic beverages contain components, such as tyramine, phenylethylamine, histamine, sulfites, and flavonoid phenols, that have been linked to migraines.
- Eye Strain: Eye strain has been linked to ocular migraines. Your eye care physician will be able to tell you if you are wearing the correct prescription or if there’s anything you can do to prevent eye strain.
