Understanding and Treating Ophthalmic Migraine

Say the word “migraine” and most people think of a headache. Those who have suffered from migraine think of excruciating pain in the head. They think of hours or even days of throbbing pain. This does not describe ophthalmic migraine, however.

Definition of Ophthalmic Migraine

Ophthalmic migraine involves the eyes, but does not include headaches. Like other migraines, this is due to a spasm of blood vessels in the brain. These spasms usually cause severe headache, but not with ophthalmic migraine. Ophthalmic migraine is characterized by visual disturbances. The migraineur may see flashes of light that look like jagged lines or “heat waves” rising from a hot road or vehicle. These disturbances may be in one or both eyes, often lasting 10-30 minutes, but without a headache. Ophthalmic migraine is sometimes called migraine without headache. It is commonly misspelled “ophthalmic migrain” or “ophthalmic migrane”.

Frequency of Ophthalmic Migraine

Ophthalmic migraine is quite common, though frightening to the person who has never before experienced it. It is usually not serious, and will go away within the hour. In rare cases, symptoms continue to recur on a regular basis, interfering with one’s quality of life and requiring treatment.

Causes of Ophthalmic Migraine

As with more well-known migraine, ophthalmic migraine can have many triggers. The cause behind the triggers is a temporary spasm in the blood vessels behind the eye. Called “vasospasm”, these are similar to a Charlie Horse, i.e., a cramp in a leg muscle.

The onset of ophthalmic migraine may be traced to one or more triggers. A few of many possibilities are:

* chemicals such as MSG in food
* caffeine
* prescription medications
* hormonal changes
* alcohol
* stress
* sleep loss
* weather changes

Treatment of Ophthalmic Migraine

Symptoms usually go away by themselves after several minutes, or at least within one hour. Often, rest in a darkened room can be the best treatment during an attack. You will not want to drive or operate machinery, since vision is affected. Medical treatment is usually not necessary, and many people never suffer a second attack.

If you have recurring ophthalmic migraine, treatment is available with prescription medication. This will decrease both the frequency and severity of attacks. As with any prescription medication, there are side effects.

If you experience more than one ophthalmic migraine, you should see your health care provider for advice. He or she will want to rule out serious underlying causes.