Sunshine

[sunshinenessy]

I am a jogger - I jog at least 4 days a week and have been for many years. I don't run fast ever, it's definitely a jog so i'm not pushing myself too hard. Sometimes I have this problem and i'm wondering if I should seek a doctor. The problem is sometimes when I jog - it could be a bright, hot, and sunny day or a cool evening - and within the first 2 miles I will begin to have visual problems. It starts out as a flickering orange light on my right side of my field of vision. If I continue to jog turns into two BRIGHT objects that are outlined in neon purple and are lime green on the inside and they eventually take over my whole field of vision so that I can't see well enough to finish. I asked a friend and they said it could possible be my blood pressure, but i've never seen a doctor about this. Any ideas as to what it could be or what I should do?

[Carol in PA]

Your description resembles ocular migraine, or visual migraine.
The blind spot is called scotoma.
The visual disruption is caused by spasm and dilatation of small blood vessels in the part of the brain where vision is processed.  

I used to get these alot, often followed by a piercing migraine headache about 20 to 30 minutes later.

You can do a search for visual migraine or ocular migraine for information.
According to one source, exercise can trigger attacks.

Wishing you the best,
Carol

[sunshinenessy]

Thanks so much for your response. I do get migraines a few times a year where I have the aura and it starts out like my vision is pieces of a puzzle pulling away from each other and I do eventually lose most of my vision and see the "blinking ferris wheel"...I was wondering if the two could be related, however I don't get the headaches after i jog and the visual things are different. I will do a search and thanks for the info !