Eyesight funny but no headache

[Jeanie238]

Every few weeks I get visual disturbance but with no headache. Lasting anything from about five up to twenty minutes I see flickering lights and jagged shapes - like being in a room where the fluorescent lighting has gone funny. When it stops I feel okay, though sometimes a bit 'distant'. I'm assuming what I'm experiencing is a migraine aura. I mentioned it to my doctor who didn't seem worried and she said, yes, it sounds like a migraine aura. But I wonder why there's no headache (not that I want a headache!). Does anyone else have this?

[sunshineniDDD]

I'm 64 years old. I remember when I was in my thirties I had one episode of the same kind of visual disturbance as you described - jagged auras with colors like orange or yellow and dark spots in the center that make driving or reading difficult. It occurred only once a year then, but now I get it oftener, perhaps once or twice a month. I thought they were related to nervous tension,  hunger or high blood pressure, but there seems to be no pattern at all. I went to see an ophthalmologist and she said I had perforations around the sides of the retina. But if that's the case, it should occur more often. So, I still don't know whats causing it. But definitely I experience no headaches.

[Joeyg74]

Hello,
Just read your comment....i get the same.  I get a lot of aura's but no headache following it but its very annoying.  Recently been getting them everyday generally early mornings in my sleep which wake me up or not long after I get to work.  I know its to do with migraines as I used to get them really bad when i was younger but with the same aura but it made me violently sick and bad headaches....i wonder what it is!!?? and why it does it?

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

It is quite possible that these visual phenomenon are a part of ocular migraine. Sometimes ocular migraine can occur without the headache it is then called as an acephalgic migraine or silent migraine.
Have you been able to identify a trigger for these attacks?
Treatment includes OTC pain killers and triptans like imitrex.

[chicibo]

Another possibility could be a form of epilepsy.  Also it could be related to you menstrual cycle.  Have you had your eyes tested recently?  It might be an idea to have it done.  You could also try noting down when you have these "episodes" to see if there is a pattern.  Just some thoughts.