Ocular migraine is common among people who suffer from classic migraine, and they experience a series of unusual visual sensations which are usually followed by the migraine headache. Ocular migraine occurs only in one eye, and as it progresses, you may experience something odd with your vision. You might see a small spot, which keeps getting bigger, followed by a colored, shimmering zigzag border.
Exact cause of ocular migraine is not known, but it is believed to be caused by the unusual stimulation of some nerves at the backside of the brain. In case of classical migraine, spasm affects the surface of the brain, but in case of ocular migraine stroke, the blood supply to the brain’s vision area or eye is affected. There are no fixed patterns associated with this migraine, and it is possible to have several ocular migraine strokes in a week and then not have them for months or even years.
Becoming sensitive to the sound or light could be the indication of oncoming ocular migraine stroke. It is best to consult your ophthalmologist in case you are worried about losing your sight. It is also advisable to consult the neurologist who can rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms such as migraine with aura, stroke or blood clot in the retinal artery.
There is usually no need of ocular migraine treatment, and prevention is the best possible way to deal with the symptoms. Try to avoid the environmental factors or foods that seem to trigger the migraine. If you get the ocular migraine after migraine headache, medications for migraine headache help relieve the symptoms. However, it is best to avoid Triptans to treat migraine as it can adversely affect the retinal blood vessels, and can cause vision loss.
Ocular migraine stroke is more common is people under 40, women, people suffering from diseases like hardening of arteries, lupus, epilepsy, sickle cell disease and depression, and people who have the family history of migraine or other kinds of headache.
If you suffer from regular headaches, it is best to consult your physician so that other reasons of headache and vision distortion can be ruled out. Gather as much information as possible regarding your triggers, symptoms and family history to share with the doctor. Brief visual impairment during ocular migraine stroke can be the indicative of a serious condition such as eye damage or stroke, so see the doctor for correct diagnosis.