Occular Migraine? Aura without headache?

You need to have eye exam. I have glaucoma was diagnosed after I had ocular migraine

Yes I get the flashing patterns and only a weird sensation above my eyebrow on left side, no headache. But I also get other types of migraines. It's not uncommon to have visual disturbances with migraines but no headache, I was told.

Hi @esikora -- I had my one and only ocular migraine, no headache, about a year ago. I was in the kitchen and suddenly couldn't make anything out. Everything in my vision was very pixelated (maybe what they call kaleidoscope vision) and it was very confusing. It was colorful and like when they blur out a face with pixelation on the TV. I thought, why can't I see? Can I see? I looked around and couldn't make anything out. Nope, I can't see. I blinked several times hoping to clear it up and nope. Then I thought, OMG, am I'm having a stroke? I had been told I was at higher risk due to afib, cancer and cancer meds. I quickly did all the stroke tests on myself and passed. Then it all suddenly went away. Very scary.

Then 4 hours later, I was standing in front of my recliner and suddenly just fell straight backwards like a tree in the forest -- no bending. No dizziness, no loss of balance, no warning. Again, bizarre. Thankfully, I just fell hard back into the recliner (about broke it) or I would have really been injured. I'm sure it was somehow related. Really bizarre. I was afraid maybe it was a TIA. I had a brain MRI and no explanation, but TIAs can only be detected while they are happening.

I also had an eye exam a month later. No glaucoma. I do have early cataracts, but that wouldn't explain this.

My neurologist told me it was an ocular migraine and not to worry about it. They are random and it may never happen again. I've never had any type of migraine before or since. I rarely even get a regular headache. I'll never know why it happened. Best of luck to you.

I get them occasionally. Never with headaches. Thank goodness. The first time I had one I thought I was going blind. They usually don’t last very long and resolve on their own

I have had several auras that present as a spiky circle with a full feeling and dizziness in my head but little pain, just pressure. I can now feel one coming on and it usually happens when I am out of balance with food and hydration after exertion. It has happened after being in bright sunlight for too long too. I put eyepatches on and lie down in my recliner with a glass of water and strong coffee until it goes away after half an hour or longer. My eye doc calls it silent migraine and says caffeine will help but in moderation. Figuring out your own triggers helps out with avoidance and then management of the condition.

Both my mother and I have had aura without headache most of our lives. Mine always resolves within 30 minutes. I read that, if it lasts longer than 30 minutes, you should go to the ER to rule out a stroke. One of my triggers is severe sleep deprivation.

Had since I was about age 12 and am now 79. Very scary for a child and in those days just given an Aspirin! As others have said, starts off with tiny "blind spot" in my vision; then the dreaded neon bright semi circle of varioius sizes of ZzzxZZxxxZ zig-zags joined together and moving - can see them with eyes closed. Tiny semi circle and it gets bigger and wider over about 20 minutes. When a child an young adult then would get the one-side of head very bad headache which would last various times sometimes hours, then I would vomit and be OK. As a young adult got then with similar symptoms for no known reason but the vomitting stopped. STill had the vision and bad headache even while raising two children/ working - out of the blue! I dont recall what age exactly but about my mid thirties I started having the Aura but not the bad headaches - so vision affected and had to leave work, couldnt drive, read etc., bed and cold cloth over eyes and its been the same every since thankfully (as have enough other things to deal with) - last year about 15 and 21 year before, but am sometimes coming out of the vision back to normal and then get another right after; also, ovr the last five years am getting a bit of forgetfulness right after - eg I suddenly couldnt remember my close neighbours names; another time my doctors names; etc. I contacted neurologist and he said over phone dont worry about it but its upsetting.. although now happening so often I know I do get memory of those things back in about an hour. One thing - early 20s DR gave me Cafergot-ph as getting the headaches too and I only took a pill or two and didnt help much and one day took the day's quota and couldnt get awake and up to go to work! My girls were young and got themselves off to school and my boss came knocking at my door to find out if i was ok!! April 2021 I did have a strange spell wont go into and found out many months later was small stroke but doesnt fit in with anyting to do with my migraines. Also 2018 told I have narrow angle glaucoma and have had iridotomies so have no idea if a connection. Of course wish didnt have then but when I read or hear of how much worse they are for many people I try and just get through them, but always feel a bid odd after. Cold cloth and a Tylenol until they go away until the next one...no doctor has ever been keenly interested in pursuing with tests etc. I suffer from anxiety so now for me the worst thing is imagining those flashing spikes wont go away!!!! (I also have had laser to both eyes re vitreous; and left with floaters in both eyes/presume separate from Migraines - very dry eyes and Glaucoma drops.... and once in a while tiny bright spots like miniature Comets go across my vision - a bit scary I must admit). Best wishes to all fellow sufferers! J.

I have had migraine with aura since I was 16. They came on more frequent throughout the years and when I was younger, they included a bad headache and nausea. Later in life (maybe around 60) I noticed that I would have mild to moderate symptoms after having a zigzag aura and also I started having them on average once a week. My doctor said mine are food related. They are called silent migraine now, but I still feel off when I have one and sometimes get a stiff neck and head pressure. My doctor said that is one of the good things about aging is that the migraines can become silent.
Maybe you need to have a doctor diagnose the cause though just to be sure it is a migraine and nothing else.

I had auras or they call them occular migraines. I never had a migraine I just couldn't see very well and then it would stop. It's rare for that to happen now. I think mine were brought on by hormones.

I have had optical migraines without headache for many years. I started getting them in the mid 90s. When they started I didn’t know what they were and they were disturbing my vision. I went to an eye doctor and had an exam and they explained what it was and said it was usually caused by stress. Over the years they have tapered off but I do get them during times of high stress. Christmas night around 2013 or 14 I had one that caused me to lose my peripheral vision in my right eye for about 30 minutes! It was totally black. It cleared up and when I went for my checkup with my neurologist, (I have multiple sclerosis) he told me that the vision loss was due to the optical migraine and not my MS.