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Ocular migraine

(38 Posts)
Ellie Anne Sun 19-Dec-21 08:23:12

For a few years I’ve had occasional ocular/silent migraines. In the last week I’ve had two, one while driving o nome the motorway and one one while sitting in bed using my i pad. Last about half an hour. Anyone know what causes them?

Muffintop Tue 11-Oct-22 19:39:50

Anyone found a treatment that works for ocular migraines,. Getting about one a week at the moment. Can only attribute them to anxiety. ? Cannot find another trigger. Am beginning to be afraid to go out anywhere. GP HAS NO ANSWERS.

loopyloo Tue 11-Oct-22 20:49:51

Since I started on ramipril for slightly raised blood pressure I haven't had any attacks.

EmmaMazarella Thu 13-Oct-22 07:32:25

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Lexisgranny Thu 13-Oct-22 07:52:27

I started having these last year. I see very bright stars in crescent shapes and experience a sharp pain over my left eye. As others have said, it is rather pretty and lasts for about 15 minutes. Oddly, it only seems to happen during the evening, and fortunately never when I am driving. I seem to sense when it is about to happen, so if I was driving I would have time to pull over. I have seen an optician who referred me to the eye department of our local hospital and the consultant was concerned that the pulse at the side of my eye or thereabouts was very weak, so she sent me for a scan, but nothing nasty showed up. They whole thing was left in abeyance to see whether it got more frequent. It didn’t and has stayed at irregular intervals.

Lexisgranny Thu 13-Oct-22 07:55:54

Oh, I forgot I also seem to have developed an aversion to bright lights, and sun shining through a window.

M0nica Thu 13-Oct-22 08:44:18

I have had migraine since childhood. Cigarette smoke triggered them then, and library searching when wearing contact lenses when I was at university, but that apart there is connection between migraine and triggers.

Since the menopause, as others say, the pain is far less, mine have also become very random. Until the menopause, I would have the same kind of migraine, ocular, severe but not to often for decades at a time, but since the menopause ocular migraine has returned, vestibular migraine, extreme nausea, you mention it, I have had it.

I was woken from sleep one night last week with the familiar one sided pain. No triggers, took my usual medication and it had gone by evening. heven't had a migraine like for about 20 years.

skunkhair63 Thu 13-Oct-22 09:01:08

I have to be careful when driving past a row of trees, if the sun is shining through them. This “flashing” effect is very likely to make the vision in my left eye practically disappear, to be replaced with what looks like a spiky, bright silver bracelet to the outside edge of my eye. There was such a row of trees local to me, but they have been chopped down for a new development, which was sad, but convenient for me in this regard! I could usually stave off the unwanted effect by shielding my eye with a cupped hand. Occasionally stress or prolonged computer use will bring on an attack, as well.

Ellie Anne Thu 13-Oct-22 12:49:15

I was given pills by the dr to take as soon as it starts . But I’ve never had them to hand so haven’t tried them yet

Nanatoone Thu 13-Oct-22 12:58:28

I get these frequently but almost always they are followed by a debilitating migraine headache. Last month I had eight in six days, hard to manage when it’s like that but I cope. It only becomes a chronic issue if you get 15 a month. I guess sometimes I do get that. Mine is triggered by flickering light (imagine driving down a country lane in the autumn as you pass the trees the light flickers and a visual migraine will occur for sure. Air pressure changes cause it, dehydration too. Mine has got a lot worse as I’ve got older.

PinkCosmos Thu 13-Oct-22 13:36:07

I started having these after the menopause. I have never had migraine previously.

It is mainly zig zags and sometimes small blind spots. I never get a headache afterwards but this may be because I take ibuprofen as soon as the zig zags start. I read something on the internet which said if you took the painkiller straight away it would mean you wouldn't get the headache.

The zig zags last about 30 minutes but I feel a bit odd afterwards and get tingling hands and tongue sometimes.

Mine seems to be set off by bright light or fluorescent lights. I will have two or three episodes in a month and then nothing for months.

As another posters said, I think it can be a combination of more than one thing. I seem to be worse if I am tired or run down.

MayBee70 Thu 13-Oct-22 19:55:08

I had a zig zag one this morning. The first time I had one I was terrified but I read that as long as they don’t last long it’s nothing to worry about. This morning I’d taken off my glasses and walked outside into brightness. Thankfully I had a medical appointment but DH was driving.

Joan3107 Fri 14-Oct-22 09:44:56

I have had occular migraines for about five years now. I cannot pinpoint a reason - I rarely get them when on holiday but then as soon as I get home they come very frequently - sometimes every other day or every day for three days and then a break of a week. The weird thing is that each time I get a few for that particular time span they are at the same time! They happen whether I am stressed or not; in the sun or not or whatever. I have been tested and nothing found to be wrong.