Ocular vs Opthamologic Migraine?

[maggiecme]

I went to an Opthamologist today because I needed an eye exam and I've had blindness in my right eye off and on for a couple of years.  My PCP was thinking it might be Ocular migraines, described as the aura of a migraine without the headache.  The Opthamologist didn't agree as the blindness is in one eye only, lasting about 5 minutes.  The left eye is fine throughout.  He said that ocular migraines are blindness in a field of vision caused by the brain which can't be the case with me since I can see clearly in the left eye.

He checked me out and determined that although he has never seen this in 30 years, he believes it must be Opthamologic migraines which actually occur within the eye, not the brain.  There is no damage and everything appears very healthy.

I've been trying to research more online but everything I find is using the terms Ocular and Opthamologic the same.  Do I have the wrong term or is he wrong in the explanation of the difference?  Has anyone heard of this?

[maggiecme]

As noted in my post, I was with an opthamologist when I received this diagnosis and as I explained, he found my eyes to be healthy.  I'm not looking for a diagnosis but clarification of terms.

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear maggiecme,

Do you have good vision in the eye with the migraine? How old are you? I would recommend that you seek the care of an eyeMD specializing in neuro-ophthalmology to determine the cause of your unilateral visual loss.

Dr. Feldman

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California