Migraines & Headaches Health Center
Ocular Migraine Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of Ocular Migraines
In 50% of cases, ocular migraines cause temporary but complete vision loss in one eye. In the other half of cases, ocular migraines can cause vision disturbances like:
- Blurring
- Partial vision loss
- Scotomas, or a blank spots in your vision
- Dimming
- Flashes of light
Ocular migraines are usually brief, lasting under five minutes. However, they can last up to thirty. 41% of people have a headache during the vision loss. Twenty-five percent have it before or after.
Diagnosing Ocular Migraines
If you get to the doctor during an ocular migraine, he or she will be able to see the decreased blood flow in your eye with a device called a fundoscope. However, since ocular migraines are fairly brief, it's more likely that you will be diagnosed based on your symptoms.
The symptoms of ocular migraines are similar to those of other serious disorders, like eye diseases and stroke. So your doctor will want to do a thorough evaluation. If you
- Have no history of migraines
- Are over 50
- Have cardiovascular disease
your doctor may run additional tests to rule out more serious conditions.
WebMD Medical Reference
Researchers test a device that might stop migraine headaches by sending short bursts of magnetic energy to the brain.
