Brain & Nervous System Migraines Types An Overview of Retinal Migraines This type of ocular migraine affects only one eye By Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD, is a medical writer, editor, and consultant. She was editor-in-chief for "The Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior and Drugs," and "Alcohol, and Tobacco: Learning About Addictive Behavior." Learn about our editorial process Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sarah Rahal, MD on January 05, 2020 linkedin Sarah Rahal, MD, is a double board-certified adult and pediatric neurologist and headache medicine specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Sarah Rahal, MD Updated on January 26, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Symptoms Causes/Risk Factors Diagnosis Management Coping Retinal migraine is a rare type of migraine characterized by changes in vision that are monocular—that is, affecting only one eye. Usually, these symptoms precede a headache, but not always. Some practitioners use the term ocular migraine to refer to retinal migraine, but strictly speaking, the retinal migraine is one of two subtypes of ocular migraine. The other type of ocular migraine is migraine with aura, in which the visual disturbances that come before head pain affect both eyes. TYPES OF OCULAR MIGRAINE Retinal Migraine Migraine With Aura Vision changes in one eye only Vision changes in both eyes Proper diagnosis of retinal migraine is important, as a vision problem that affects only one eye can be a symptom of a condition that's considerably more serious, such as stroke or a detached retina . Once you're diagnosed with retinal migraines, managing the condition usually focuses on preventing episodes with lifestyle changes, identifying and avoiding triggers and, if necessary, some of the same prophylactic medications used to prevent "regular" migraine headaches (the ones with auras). 2:18 Symptoms A number of specific changes in vision have been reported by people who've had retinal migraines. In one of the few studies looking at these specific symptoms, these included: Complete loss of eyesight (50 percent of subjects)Blurred vision (20 percent)Scotoma, or blind spot (13 percent)Partial loss of vision (12 percentDimming of vision (7 percent) Some people experience scintillations, or flashes of light. Remember, these symptoms affect only one eye. This means if you were to close the eye that's affected, your vision out of the other eye would be normal. By contrast, visual changes resulting from migraine with aura would be apparent whichever eye is open. According to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF), "in retinal migraine, the vision symptoms are coming from the eye (so are only seen with one eye), while in migraine with typical aura the vision symptoms are coming from the brain (so are seen with both eyes)." Most of the time, retinal migraine symptoms are relatively short-lived, lasting between five and 20 minutes, although visual disturbances can last for up to an hour before headache and other migraine symptoms set in. About 75 percent of the time, migraine pain will develop on the same side of the head as the affected eye. gawrav / Getty Images Causes and Risk Factors Although the exact physiology of retinal migraine is unknown, one theory is that it may result from vasospasm, a narrowing of vessels that supply blood to the retina or that are part of the ciliary body of the eye. (The ciliary body produces fluid and also contains the muscle that changes the shape of the lens of the eye in order to focus on an object that's close-up.) Whatever the mechanism, like all types of migraine headaches, retinal migraines tend to be brought on by specific triggers such as stress, high blood pressure, smoking, and more. Retinal migraines, in particular, may be triggered by:Staring at a screen for long periodsSpending time in fluorescent or other harsh lightingDriving long distances or participating in other taxing visual activities People believed to be at increased risk of retinal migraine headaches include those who: Are in their 20s or 30s—in particular women, due to hormonal changes related to the menstrual cycleHave a history of other types of migraineHave a family history of migraine headacheHave lupus, atherosclerosis, or sickle cell disease The Role of Genetics in Migraine Headaches Diagnosis No designated tests can diagnose retinal migraines. Doctors look at your medical history and symptoms, perform a physical exam, and, in most cases, order tests to rule out other potential causes of monocular vision loss. For example, a brain scan may be used to see whether you've had a stroke, while blood tests or urinalysis may be ordered to check for lupus or sickle cell anemia. To be diagnosed as retinal migraine, the visual aura must involve only one eye, be temporary, and meet at least two of the following criteria: Spreads gradually over the course of five minutes or moreLasts for five minutes up to an hourIs accompanied or followed (within an hour) by a headache Management The focus of managing retinal migraines is on prevention rather than using abortive medications to stop them once they occur. This approach begins with identifying triggers that may be responsible for bringing on symptoms. Keeping a written log of when retinal migraines occur and what you were doing just prior to vision changes is the easiest and most straightforward way to do this. How to Make a Headache Diary Template Once you know what is likely to cause your retinal migraines, you may be able to keep them at bay by avoiding those triggers—quitting smoking, for example, or switching to a non-hormonal contraceptive. If you need preventive medication, your doctor may prescribe a so-called oral migraine prevention medication (OMPM), such as: A beta-blocker, such as Inderal (propanolol)A calcium channel blocker such as Calan (verapamil) or Procardia (nifedipine), which primarily are used to treat high blood pressureAmitriptyline (a tricyclic antidepressant)Valproaic acid (Depakote, Depacon, and others) and Topamax (topiramate), medications that are commonly used to prevent seizures To deal with head pain and other symptoms that follow the visual disturbances of retinal migraine, you can turn to pain relievers, including Tylenol (acetaminophen) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil (ibuprofen). Coping Until they subside on their own, the AMF suggests taking measures to relieve the visual symptoms caused by retinal migraines. Some ways to ease visual symptoms of retinal migraine include resting your eyes, getting away from harsh light or sunlight, and taking a break from looking at a screen. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Pula JH, Yuen CA. Eyes and stroke: the visual aspects of cerebrovascular disease. Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2017 Jul 6;2(4):210-220. doi:10.1136/svn-2017-000079 Prasad S, Galetta SL. Approach to the patient with acute monocular visual loss. Neurol Clin Pract. 2012 Mar;2(1):14-23. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0b013e31824cb084 Retinal Migraine Headache. StatPearls. Updated April 20, 2019. Additional Reading American Academy of Opthalmology. Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Migraines. Dec 10, 2018. American Migraine Foundation. Understanding Ocular Migraine. International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd Edition. Retinal Migraine. 2013.