What causes optical migraines?
Optical migraines may be caused by harsh lighting, lengthy screen times, stress, dehydration, food additives, or other events that strain your vision.
Optical migraines are more commonly known as ocular migraines and these can cause vision loss or blindness in one eye for a short time, usually less than an hour. The vision loss usually happens just before or almost as soon as the migraine starts. An ocular migraine is an episode of vision loss in one eye, usually lasting less than one hour, and is associated with a headache. Optical migraines are a subtype of migraine that occur in one eye and causes vision changes.
Optical migraines are more likely to occur in women than men, in those aged 30 to 39, or people with a family history of migraine.
References
- Metcalf E. Ocular Migraines July 12, 2020. https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/ocular-migraine-basics
- Ocular migraine. American Optometric Association. https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/ocular-migraine?sso=y
Read next
Why does throwing up relieve migraines?
For many, vomiting can help relieve migraine symptoms, even stopping the headache altogether. Research suggests that vomiting stops migraines by alleviating gastric stasis (or gastroparesis), the delayed gastric emptying that causes stomach upset to occur over the course of a migraine. Continue reading
Do daith or tragus piercings help with migraines?
Daith and tragus piercings are popular mentions among online forums as unconventional treatment options for migraines. However, although some migraine patients say the piercings are an effective way to relieve migraine symptoms, there is no scientific evidence in support of these claims. Continue reading
Can depression cause headaches?
Yes, headaches can be a symptom of depression, among many other symptoms such as feeling sad, tearful and loss of interest in everyday activities. An association with depression has also been identified in patients with migraine headaches. Severe headaches may also cause a person to feel depressed. Continue reading
Related medical questions
- What are the side effects of beta blockers?
- What are the side effects of the flu vaccine?
- Headache or Migraine: Which one is it?
- What is a migraine aura?
- How does Aimovig work to prevent migraines?
- How long do venlafaxine withdrawal symptoms last?
- How do Celebrex and ibuprofen compare?
- What are the new drugs for the treatment of migraine?
- Can ibuprofen cause constipation?
- Can you take ibuprofen with Excedrin Migraine?
- Is gabapentin addictive?
- Should gabapentin be taken with food?
- How do Ubrelvy, Qulipta and Nurtec compare for migraines?
- How many units of Botox do I need and what will it cost?
- How often can you take Excedrin Migraine?
- Nurtec coupon: Do I qualify and how much can I save?
- Can you take Excedrin Migraine while pregnant?
- How long do you stay on Topamax for migraines?
- How long does it take for Topamax to start working?
- How often can you take Imitrex (sumatriptan)?
- Does magnesium help with headaches and migraines?
- Xeomin vs Botox​: How do they compare?
- Dysport vs Botox: What's the difference?
- How long does it take for Excedrin Migraine to work?
- Ubrelvy vs Imitrex (sumatriptan): How do they compare?
- Does Qulipta cause weight loss?
- Is Ubrelvy better than triptans?
Related support groups
- Migraine (302 questions, 1,636 members)