Generality
Ophthalmic migraine is a form of headache characterized by the appearance of vision problems and / or neurological symptoms.
Dealing with ophthalmic migraine adequately and avoiding its triggers helps reduce the frequency of attacks. For this reason, it is important not to confuse it with other forms of headache.
Ophthalmic migraine is mainly caused by a temporary reduction in local blood flow; this event is caused by the sudden narrowing of the blood vessels associated with the eyes.
Ophthalmic migraine can be favored by asthenopia (eyestrain), vision defects (nearsightedness, hyperopia or astigmatism) or eye diseases that make vision difficult (cataracts). In some cases, it can originate from an inflammation of the trigeminal nerve .
An ophthalmic migraine episode lasts from a few minutes to several hours.
What's this
Ophthalmic migraine is a particular form of headache, accompanied by changes in monocular vision.
The headache that can accompany this condition also affects only one side of the skull; pain appears within one hour of vision problems.
Ophthalmic migraine is generally pulsating and has a severe to moderate intensity. The disorder may be aggravated by walking or climbing steps and may be associated with nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light or sound.
Ophthalmic migraines are more common in young women (usually by the age of 40). In addition, the disorder occurs more commonly in people who have a personal or family predisposition to experience a migraine with aura.
Attention! In some cases, the medical term “ophthalmic migraine” can be confusing. This can be used, in fact, interchangeably to refer to "migraine aura and" retinal migraine. In reality, these terms are not synonymous, but indicate different pathological conditions than ophthalmic migraine.