Alcohol consumption (especially red wine).The causes of a migraine with aura are similar to those of other types of migraine. These disturbances can include flashes or sparks of light, blind spots, darkening of vision and other vision changes. Permanent vision loss is rare.Migraine sufferers report that over 30% also experience visual auras.Ī migraine with aura is a recurring severe headache that occurs after or at the same time as sensory disturbances. This will be monitored in your follow-up appointments. There's a small risk that the reduced bloodflow may damage the thin layer at the back of the eye (the retina) and the blood vessels of the eye. Possible complications of retinal migraine Your doctor may have to try several different medications to see what works best for you. There is no one best way to treat retinal migraine. Your doctor will discuss the best way to treat your symptoms with you. Your doctor may sometimes prescribe preventative medication to try and reduce how often you get a migraine. Treatment for retinal migraine usually just involves taking pain relief for any headaches and reducing exposure to anything that might be triggering the retinal migraine. sickle cell disease (sickle cell anaemia).people with an underlying disease, such as:.people with a personal or family history of migraines or other headaches.Retinal migraine tends to be more common in: Usually, there are no abnormalities within the eye and permanent damage to the eye is rare. Retinal migraine is caused by the blood vessels to the eye suddenly narrowing (constricting), reducing the bloodflow to the eye.Īfterwards, the blood vessels relax, bloodflow resumes and sight returns. You may be referred to an eye specialist for tests to rule out other more serious eye diseases or stroke. In this case, the GP or optometrist may be able to make a confident diagnosis of retinal migraine.Īs attacks are usually brief it's more likely you'll be diagnosed based on an account of your symptoms. If you manage to see a GP or optometrist during an attack, they may be able to see the decreased bloodflow to your eye using an instrument called an ophthalmoscope. There are other more serious causes of sight loss that doctors will want to rule out. It's important to see an optometrist or doctor urgently if your eyesight suddenly gets worse, particularly if it occurs for the first time. If your eyesight suddenly deteriorates, make an emergency appointment to see an optician trained to recognise eye abnormalities and signs of eye disease (optometrist), your GP, or contact GP out of hours service. If you have any sudden loss of vision and have not previously been diagnosed with an eye condition causing these symptoms, go to an emergency department straight away. Some people see a mosaic-like pattern of blank spots (scotomas), which enlarge to cause total loss of vision. Vision may slowly become blurred or dimmed, or there may be flashes of light. The same eye is affected every time in almost all cases. It's unusual for an episode of vision loss to last longer than an hour. headache – this may happen before, during or after the vision attack.partial or total loss of vision in one eye – this usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes before vision gradually returns.The symptoms of retinal migraine may include: It shouldn't be confused with headache-type migraine or migraine with aura, which usually affects the vision of both eyes. Retinal migraine is a separate condition.

Some people get retinal migraine every few months, although the frequency can vary. See medical advice section on what to do if your eyesight suddenly deteriorates. These attacks can be frightening, but in most cases they're harmless and short-lived. It causes brief attacks of blindness or visual problems like flashing lights in one eye. Retinal migraine (ocular migraine) is an eye condition.

Vision migraine aura