Symptoms of Ocular or Ophthalmic Migraine

While Ocular or Ophthalmic Migraine is not overly common, they can be of concern and a source of confusion for patients. Generally, when we think of the word “migraine”, we immediately think “headaches”. But that may not actually be the case.

About Eye Migraine

At Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center otherwise healthy patients sometimes tell us that about once or twice a month they see these strange pulsing images in both eyes-both with their eyes open and closed! They tell us that the images may start out small lasting for 10-20 minutes and cause their vision to become blurry. These episodes actually describe what we know to be an Ocular Migraine-a migraine without a headache! What patients are experiencing is the aura that many sufferers have before the onset of a classic migraine headache.

Symptoms of Ocular or Ophthalmic Migraine

Symptoms of an Ocular or Ophthalmic Migraine may include “zigzag lines”, “colored lights” or “flashes of light” that can expand to one side of your vision over perhaps 10 to 30 minutes. If you experience these symptoms, in order to be sure that this is not a sign of a more serious problem, you need to schedule an eye exam and evaluation so that we can rule out any other problems and work in concert with your primary care physician or a neurologist to make sure that other testing is not needed.

If you or someone you know has a question about any of the symptoms mentioned or is concerned about having Ocular or Ophthalmic Migraine please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.