Optical Migrain with Atypical Symptoms

[Scotty Fry]

I am 58 and have experienced three Optical Migraines in the past year and half two of which had no other symptoms.  I did experience a concussion two months prior to the first migraine. The third optical migraine two weeks ago lasted 40 minutes with an additional 40 minutes with the inability to articulate my thoughtsin any manner.  I experienced vertigo two days prior to the attack.  Could this be related and should I look further into my physical health?  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

The older people get, the less likely it is that ocular migraine is the cause of  visual blind spots with or without headache. Migraine is generally a disease of young and early middle age people.

Before you conclude that you are having ocular migraine you would need to exclude diease of the eyes, brain, heart and cerebral blood vessels.

At a minimum you need to see an Eye MD (Ophthalmologist) for a comprehensive medical eye exam ideally including a visual field exam. You need to see your personal physician for a complete medical work-up and physical exam. You most likely will need blood work, MRI and possibly MRA of head, carotid dopplers and ECHO cardiogram.

Only after all these other causes of TIA (transient ischemic attack) are excluded can the diagnosis of ocular migraine be ascertained.k

Your concussion would not cause ocular migraine. It could cause some other neurological injury.

Please get this worked up properly.

JCH III MD Eye Physician & Surgeon

[Nancy T]

Vertigo and dizziness can certainly be due to migraine--but also to MANY other causes as well. Vertigo or dizziness due to migraine (called migraine-associated vertigo, or MAV) can happen at the same time as a headache or other migraine symptoms, or they can happen at other times and still be due to migraine.

Hope you have a good doctor to help you figure it all out.

Nancy T.