Retinal migraine

Retinal migraine
Retinal migraine
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 G43.81

Retinal migraine (also known as ophthalmic migraine, visual migraine and ocular migraine) is a retinal disease often accompanied by migraine headache and typically affects only one eye.[1] It is caused by an infarct or vascular spasm in or behind the affected eye.

The terms "retinal migraine" and "ocular migraine" are often confused with an abnormal condition in the brain (cortical spreading depression) that may cause similar symptoms such as scintillating scotoma affecting vision in both eyes, also associated with migraine headaches.

Contents

Symptoms

Retinal migraine is associated with transient monocular visual loss (scotoma) in one eye lasting less than one hour.[2] During some episodes, the visual loss may occur with no headache and at other times throbbing headache on the same side of the head as the visual loss may occur, accompanied by severe light sensitivity and/or nausea. Visual loss tends to affect the entire monocular visual field of one eye, not both eyes.[3] After each episode, normal vision returns.

It may be difficult to read and dangerous to drive a vehicle while retinal migraine symptoms are present.

Retinal migraine is a different disease than scintillating scotoma, which is a visual anomaly caused by spreading depression in the occipital cortex, at the back of the brain, not in the eyes nor any component thereof.[4] Unlike retinal migraine, such a scintillating aura affects vision from both eyes, and sufferers may see flashes of light; zigzagging patterns; blind spots; and shimmering spots or stars. In contrast, retinal migraine involves repeated bouts of temporary diminished vision or blindness in one eye.[5]

Diagnosis

The medical exam should rule out any underlying causes, such as blood clot, stroke, pituitary tumor, or detached retina. A normal retina exam is consistent with retinal migraine.[6]

Treatment

Treatment depends on identifying behavior that triggers migraine such as stress, sleep deprivation, skipped meals, food sensitivities, or specific activities. Medicines used to treat retinal migraines include aspirin, other NSAIDS, and medicines that reduce high blood pressure.[6]

Prognosis

In general, the prognosis for retinal migraine is similar to that of migraine headache with typical aura. As the true incidence of retinal migraine is unknown, it is uncertain whether there is a higher incidence of permanent neuroretinal injury. The visual field data suggests that there is a higher incidence of end arteriolar distribution infarction and a higher incidence of permanent visual field defects in retinal migraine than in clinically manifest cerebral infarctions in migraine with aura.[3] One study suggests that more than half of reported recurrent cases of retinal migraine subsequently experienced permanent visual loss in that eye from infarcts.[2] An infarction in the retina, however, is usually apparent to the patient.[3]

See also

External links

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • retinal migraine — a type of ophthalmic migraine with retinal symptoms such as monocular visual loss or blurring, probably because of constriction of one or more retinal arteries …   Medical dictionary

  • Migraine — This article is about the disorder. For other uses, see Migraine (disambiguation). Migraine Classification and external resources The pain of a migraine headache can be debilitating. ICD 10 …   Wikipedia

  • migraine — A symptom complex occurring periodically and characterized by pain in the head (usually unilateral), vertigo, nausea and vomiting, photophobia, and scintillating appearances of light. Classified as classic m., common m., cluster headache,… …   Medical dictionary

  • Ophthalmic migraine — Migraine involving the eyes but without headache. Migraine, due to a spasm of blood vessels in the brain, usually causes a headache. Flashes of light may appear as jagged lines or heat waves in one or both eyes and often last 10 20 minutes… …   Medical dictionary

  • Amaurosis fugax — Infobox Disease Name = Amaurosis fugax Caption = The arteries of the choroid and iris. The greater part of the sclera has been removed. DiseasesDB = 501 ICD10 = ICD10|G|45|3|g|40 ICD9 = ICD9|362.34 ICDO = OMIM = MedlinePlus = 000784 eMedicineSubj …   Wikipedia

  • Aura (symptom) — For other uses, see Aura (disambiguation). Migraine with aura (classical migraine) Classification and external resources ICD 10 G43.1 ICD 9 …   Wikipedia

  • Optic neuritis — Classification and external resources ICD 10 H46, G44.848 ICD 9 377.30 …   Wikipedia

  • Headache — For other uses, see Headache (disambiguation). Headache A person with a headache. ICD 10 G43 G …   Wikipedia

  • photopsia —    Also known as photome, phosphorescence of the retina, scintillations, and suffusio scintillans. The term photopsia comes from the Greek words photizein (to give light, to illuminate) and opsis (seeing). It is used to denote a group of * simple …   Dictionary of Hallucinations

  • Cluster headache — Classification and external resources The Cluster Headache by JD Fletcher ICD 10 G44 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”