Ophthalmic Migraine?

[gabbyh]

Anyone ever experience one of these?

Good grief...it was the scariest thing...I got out of the shower last night after exercising and all of a sudden there were these flashing lights in a zig zag pattern going across my eyes...I immediately called my friend who works with the doc that did my lasik and she went over my symptoms, which actually went away as I was talking to her.

Seems like they can be brought on by stress...not that I haven't had any lately

I'll be going to the eye doc this week, but I sure hope I don't get any more! Anyone have any of these ever?

~Gail

[wallycat]

Sounds like it could be a posterior vitreous detachment.....
common as we age and the vitreous changes consistency and in those with correction (especially myopia due to the curve of the eye-ball).

Good luck!

[HRJ]

Never had them myself, but my mother does, so at one point I did a lot of reading about them. I can certainly imagine how scary it must be the first time it happens.

In my mother's case, she had quite a problem with ophthalmic migraines when she was in her late 20s and early 30s. Then, for no apparent reason, they just stopped, and she thought the probem was behind her. About 45 years later, in her mid-70s, they suddenly started again. She's been checked out by a neuro-ophthalmologist, who didn't find anything wrong, other than the ophthalmic migraines, which are apparently fairly benign -- no long-lasting damage -- but are scary and annoying to experience.

In my mother's case, there don't seem to be any very specific "triggers" that we can figure out -- yes, stress, but she's been through much more stressful periods of her life when the migraines did not appear, so who knows? We've also tried to find some "common threads" between the times when she got the migraines when she was younger, and when they re-appeared -- ie, was it something in her environment, something she was eating, meds she was taking, etc? -- but can't come up with anything. So it's sort of a mystery -- not only why she was getting the ophthalmic migraines in the first place, but why they disappeared for 40+ years, and have now come back.

BTW, Gail, my mom lives very near you in Florida, so if you want the name of her neuro-ophthalmologist, I can find out for you.

Sorry you had to go through this. Take care!!!

Helene

[LakeMartinGal]

I had one the other day, according to my opthamologist. I had what I thought was a 'floatie.' It was a blob in one eye that had peach and aqua lines around it. It was really quite pretty, but I tried to 'watch' it, and it kept moving! A little while later I did get a headache, but it was mild. Very strange, and scary in your case!

[DanaSD]

I had one once. I was driving but just pulling into my office parking lot so I parked. When I got to my desk it was hard to see. I called my husband but it was hard to even dial the phone because of the flashing lights. Then it went away. I called my doctor because I had just started some medicine - they told me to go to the ER right away. Once I got there, ER said no reason to come in and this couldn't be a side effect of starting a new medicine. They said it was a migraine. I get migraine's often but never with the lights - and that day I never really got the headache part of the migraine. That was about 4 years ago - never had one since.

[testkitchen45]

I get these periodically, with no hard-and-fast relationship b/w the ocular migraine and stress or fatigue, and with no pain or headache at all. I guess there's some r'ship with fatigue, but I'm a SAHM so I never get enough sleep and yet I don't get these too often. My ophthalmologist said that ocular migraines aren't that big a deal. They don't mean you have a brain tumor or an eye problem. If they suddenly become more frequent or there's some other noteworthy change, then it's a good idea to see a doc, but he said not to worry about them.

When I get one, it's a loss of peripheral vision, usually on just one side. Gotta love that when you're driving (time to pull over!).

DS told me two days ago that he's had a few of these. Great.

[Elizabeth B]

I've had these since I was in high school and my mom used to get them as well. Luckily, it doesn't happen that often - maybe once every few years. Sometimes it feels as though mine are brought on by light (like walking from a dark building into bright sunlight), but not always. If I'm by myself, I have a limited time frame to safely drive myself home. They're usually followed by a very painful headache. They're a little scary at first, but once you get used to them and can recognize when they're coming on, it isn't so bad. Good luck!

[gabbyh]

Thanks so much everyone...I feel so much better reading all the responses...I definitely had major fatigue and stress after last week...hopefully it was a one-time deal and never comes back!

~Gail

[Beatrix]

I get these too and I hate them. I've heard that they are also called scintillating scotomas. I only get them two to three times a year and I usually do not get a headache afterwards, but I did get a mild headache once.

Mine seem to be triggered by exercise, stress and bright light.

I'm sorry that you experienced one of these things. It sounds like it goes away pretty quickly in most cases, so that's one good thing!

I hope it doesn't happen again!

[Ann Sanders]

I, too have experienced these, tho not often. I sure am glad that I am not alone. My Dr. didn't seem very concerned when I told him. I do have occular hypertension so maybe that is something to be more concerned about. Yeah, like testkitchen said, I agree.

[JenZen]

I've had these for about the past 7 or 8 years. My dad gets them, too.

I asked my eye dr., and he said they're ocular migraines, and one of the triggers can be hormones. I get them about twice a year or so, but I had a ton in the third trimester with my daughter. The last one I had was right after I delivered her. At that point, I didn't know what it was, and I was too scared to tell anyone, so I just let it pass.

Now that I know what they are, they are no big deal. I just close my eyes and let them pass. It usually takes about 30 minutes.

Here's a good link to a description of ocular migraines. Mine occur exactly as described. I get an oasis-like spot that enlarges until I can't see anything, and then it slowly drifts out of my vision. It's all flickery, too.

http://www.allaboutvision.com/condit...r-migraine.htm

[TKay]

I typically get these as a precursor to a regular migraine. The ocular disturbance doesn't go away once the pain begins, but it usually starts the whole thing off--so it gives me a clue as to what's coming.

I would agree that they are very disturbing--especially when you first start getting them. Count yourself lucky that the pain didn't come along too. Migraines stink! I'm sorry you had the experience.

Oh, I was going to mention that dh and I have a friend who gets them also (dh and I both get them). Her theory is that the migraine comes just as the stress is being relieved. For instance, when she was in grad school, she could make it through finals with no migraines. But as soon as she was done and able to relax, the migraine hit. I've found this to be true in many cases. For me, fatigue related to stress and lack of sleep seems to be a contributor. Other than that, I've never been able to identify consistent triggers.

Good luck.

[gabbyh]

... Her theory is that the migraine comes just as the stress is being relieved. For instance, when she was in grad school, she could make it through finals with no migraines. But as soon as she was done and able to relax, the migraine hit. I've found this to be true in many cases. For me, fatigue related to stress and lack of sleep seems to be a contributor. Other than that, I've never been able to identify consistent triggers...

I have to agree...I had just finished the worst work week of my professional career...if any of you read the "Please say a prayer for my staff" thread...one of my staff passed away unexpectedly, my supervisor was fired, I found out my current position is changing...enough already!!

All week-end I felt exhausted and totally drained...Sunday, later in the day, I began to feel better, decided to exercise...walked on my treadmill, took a shower, felt relaxed, and BAM: flashing lights in zig zag patterns!

Thanks so much to all of you for sharing your scary experience...I just hope they stay away!

~Gail

[mikesmom]

I've been having opthalmic migraines for years. I don't get them very often, but they are very annoying and I cannot figure out what triggers them. I'm 57 years old and I had my first one when I was 31. Sometimes I will get a headache following an episode and sometimes not. They usually pass within 20 minutes or so.

My sister gets them, as well.

[Beatrix]

Ugh. I had one of these this week. Fortunately I was at home so I just closed my eyes and tried to relax until it passed (about 20 minutes later). I had a mild headache that lasted about an hour.

I agree with what TKay said about the aura happening after the stress is relieved. I'd also been having trouble getting enough sleep so I'm sure that contributed.

I just hope I never get one of these when I can't get to a safe place because it really messed up my vision!

[gabbyh]

Bumping up this old thread as I remembered when I had one last time, I posted here, and I wanted to see how long ago it was...wow, almost 4 years...well I had one yesterday, this time in only 1 eye, and it went away rather quickly, but still scarier than hell...hopefully others who suffer from these will find comfort in what others have said here...just reading back on these posts makes me feel better

~Gail

[cookieee]

Hi Gail, thank you for bumping up this old thread, missed it the first time around. Thank you, good to know about this and what to do.

[Carol SC]

I have had these off and on for years. The first time occurred when I was sitting at my office desk which was in front of a large window and the desk had a glass top. The second time I had one several years later I went to a opthomalogist. This was supposed to be a top-notch practice and I couldn't believe when he said he had no idea what the problem was. I then went to my PC doctor who told me I had an occular migraine and not to worry. My present opthomalogist told me that they really do not know what causes them and my son, who is an RN, told me the same thing. I do know that when you feel one coming on, take an adult aspirin and it will quickly subside and the majority of times you will not have a migraine afterward. I, personally, have never had a migraine with one.

[cookieee]

I am reluctant to say this because I am only 90% sure my memory is accurate. Back in my 30's, I started to get flashing lights in my eyes', no headache but once in a while a migrain but not at the same time as the flashing lights. Went to an eye doctor. He prescribed Niacine (I think) for circulation?
All I know is that the flashing lights stopped. Went to another dr. He cracked my neck and the migrains stopped and rarely in all these years have I had a headache. A few years ago I had cateracts removed from both eyes and occasionally, when the room gets to cold, I might have a slight ache in my eyes. I hope this helps someone

[Soupandstew]

I had a couple about 15 years ago. After a very thorough eye exam, the doctor and I decided my trigger was strobing or flickering lights like a disco ball or fluorescents about to go out. Now I literally run from a place with any sort of light issues like that because I still remember the horrible sensation.

[cookieee]

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