Everything You Need to Know About Ocular Migraine

A migraine headache is the worst kind of pain (no doubts about that)! It’s like a thousand bull-dozers ramming down the walls of your brain with all their might. So annoying and uncontrollable. But if you thought headaches were the only major symptom of migraine, you’ve definitely been in a bubble, my friend. 

Mehrpouya H/Unsplash | Ocular migraine is a severe form of migraine in which a person experiences sharp headache in addition to visual disturbances

While sharp pain in the head is one of the common symptoms of this condition, visual disturbances are another escalating feature for some. This phenomenon is termed as ‘Ocular Migraine,’ and when a person is going through it, he/she might see criss-cross glaring lines, flashing or shimmering lights, and sometimes even stars.

In medical terms, these are described as psychedelic images or the occurrence of blind spots in the field of vision. As per research, for people who report having migraines, one out of five cases end up experiencing this.

A deeper dive into ocular migraine

Ocular migraine interferes in your everyday life, disrupting routine activities like reading, writing, and driving, but still, it still isn’t regarded as a serious condition.

In very rare cases, the issue is confused with retinal migraine, but in truth, both are distinctly different from one another. The particular reasons behind this condition are still unknown, but many doctors believe that genetics and family medical history can be a cause. 

There are a bunch of people who are easily able to identify their migraine triggers, still, quite a bit of research has proven that there is a combination of triggers that lead to this mayhem. 

Aarón Blanco Tejedor/Unsplash | Ocular migraine interferes in your everyday life, disrupting routine activities like reading, writing, and driving

A little attention please! Triggers vary from person to person and usually include the following:

• Consumption of alcoholic beverages, like red wine
• Artificial sweeteners
• Way too much caffeine
• Unpleasant sounds
• Stress and anxiety, etc.

We advise you to maintain a headache diary and keep track of your health conditions on a regular basis. You can point out things and situations that trigger you the most so that you can save yourself from such unbearable conditions in the future. 

What’s the remedy?

Migraines can be quite difficult to handle, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only symptoms behind this underlying condition. TBH, ocular migraines are still quite bearable; typically, they go away by themselves in less than 30 minutes. All you need to do is relax, put pressure on your temples, place a damp towel on your head, and avoid triggers that make you feel uncomfortable.

In case you’re aren’t feeling calm at all, you can take a few prescribed medicines, like ibuprofen or Excedrin migraine for instant relief. But we highly advise you to consult a doctor before taking them since some of the medicines (antidepressants, beta-blockers) need to be taken regularly to get relief from migraines.

Ksenia Yakovleva/Unsplash | Usually, migraines go away on their own after about 30 minutes, but if you’re in too much pain, you can take prescribed medication to relieve yourself

Final thoughts

Ocular migraines may not require aggressive or immediate treatment, but still, you must consult a doctor if you experience them quite frequently and also if the frequency of the pain keeps accelerating. A doctor can provide you with proper information regarding your health condition and help you cope with this problem by prescribing dedicated medication if required.