To think of a migraine is to imagine a headache. But you can suffer a migraine that affects your eyes and not necessarily the head, known as ocular or visual migraine. There are two types: migraines with aura and retinal ones.
With aura migraines , you may see spots, circles, zigzags, or crescent shapes or flashes of light that last from about five minutes to an hour. The spots and shapes are usually seen on both eyes. These symptoms could be a sign that a migraine headache is on the way or not. Some people never have a headache afterward.
Between 15 and 20 percent of migraine sufferers experience auras. Although these disturbances can be disturbing and interfere with your ability to focus on what you are doing, they are not usually serious.
A retinal migraine is rare, but it can be serious. With this type of migraine, the most likely symptom is being unable to see through one eye, decreasing vision for a short time, followed by a headache. Since vision loss can also be somewhat more serious, be sure to seek immediate attention from an ophthalmologist or neurologist to diagnose the cause and prescribe appropriate treatment.
How to avoid migraine with aura?
Treat eye migraines similar to how you treat regular migraines. You can take a variety of medications to help eliminate symptoms, including triptans, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen. Triptans, which block pain pathways in the brain, require a prescription.
It is most effective if you take your medicine as soon as you start having visual symptoms. However, there are also self-care steps that can be part of the plan to get rid of an ocular migraine faster.
Rest your eyes
Avoid bright light by entering if it is a sunny day outside or away from your computer screen. Move to a room where the light is not harsh and close your eyes. A cold cloth on the back of the neck or over the eyes or forehead can also provide some relief.
Eat and drink something
Unless it’s one of your triggers, a piece of chocolate could help because of its caffeine. Similarly, it is important to stay hydrated, so drink, preferably water.
just relax
Find what relieves stress and do it. For some people, formal relaxation training, such as biofeedback or cognitive behavioral therapy, is effective.
Ask your doctor about anti-nausea medications
Some people who experience migraine with aura also feel nauseous. If this happens to you, medications like chlorpromazine, metoclopramide, or prochlorperazine may help you feel better faster.
How to prevent them?
You can try to prevent migraine with aura in the same way that you would with any migraine.
Discover your triggers
By keeping a journal, you can see what is likely to trigger your migraines. Once you know the triggers, you can work to avoid them as much as possible. Common migraine triggers include alcohol, citrus fruits, and chemical packaged and processed foods such as monosodium glutamate and nitrates in hot dogs and deli meats.
Get quality sleep
Do not sleep too much or too little. Follow the same routine for going to bed and getting up, even on weekends.
Eat according to the clock
Having a regular eating routine will help you avoid a lack of food, a trigger for some people.
Take medications to prevent migraine
There are many new and effective medications, as well as medications used for other conditions that help prevent migraines. These range from biologics and Botox to high blood pressure medications, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. Talk to your doctor about what’s best for you based on the frequency of your visual migraines.
