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.