What Is an Ocular Migraine, and What Triggers It?

Suffering from severe headaches can be frustrating, but what about the ocular migraine? We tend to think of migraines in the sense that an individual is plagued with extreme headaches, sensitivity to his or her environment, and difficulty in functioning properly. These migraines can be downright debilitating, but the ocular type is quite different. Though it can prove frustrating, the good news is that the individual is not down and out for quite as long as with a typical migraine.

So what is an ocular migraine, and how is it different? In fact, this is a loss in vision, so there isn’t necessarily a headache involved at all. Despite the word migraine, the ocular type may come with or without any headache pain. An individual suffering from this variety of migraine will often experience a loss of vision and/or a sensitivity to light. It may be hard to focus, and simply being out in direct sunlight may be quite painful. There may be a complete loss of vision altogether, but this usually lasts for an hour or less. Though they can be temporarily debilitating, then, such migraines are not as severe, on the whole, as standard migraines are.

A Different Sort of Headache

Another thing to note about an ocular migraine is what causes it. Many who suffer from ocular migraines say that they come at the tail end of a migraine headache. This isn’t always true, but it is often the case that ocular migraines occur at the very end of a typical migraine, just as the head pain is subsiding. The ocular migraine is often associated with a sensitivity to light, similarly to what many experience with migraine headaches, but in this case the effect is much more extreme. If you are prone to a loss of vision or have sensitivity to light with most headaches, then you may be much more likely to get ocular migraines.

An ocular migraine may just be a direct side-effect of migraine headaches. They may come about if you have any eye problems. For instance, ocular migraines may occur if there is a spasm in the retina or if there is something else amiss. Therefore, diagnosis of ocular migraines is very important to ensure that there are no further, related vision problems.

Though these may not be your typical type of migraine, and they are short-lived, they may nonetheless prove frustrating for those who suffer from them. If you think that you suffer from ocular migraines, be sure to seek a professional medical opinion.