An ocular migraine can cause vision loss or blindness in one eye for a short time -- less than an hour. This happens before or along with a migraine headache.

It's rare. Some research suggests that in many cases, the symptoms are due to other problems.

Regular migraine attacks can also cause vision problems, called an aura, which can involve flashing lights and blind spots. But these symptoms usually happen in both eyes.

Talk to your doctor to find out if you have ocular migraine. They can rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. Be ready to describe what you went through as completely as you can to help them figure out what's really going on.

Symptoms

You may hear your doctor call ocular migraine by some other names, such as visual, retinal, ophthalmic, or monocular migraines. Warning signs include:

Vision problems that affect just one eye. These include migraine with an aura or a change in vision. It might happen for only a few minutes or up to 30 minutes.

It can be hard to tell whether you're having symptoms in one eye only. The flashing lights or blindness may be on one side of your vision but actually involve both eyes. If you're not sure, cover one eye and then the other.

A headache that lasts 4 to 72 h

• Affect one side of your head
• Feel moderately or very painful
• Throb or pulsate
• Feel worse when you move around

Other symptoms may include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Being sensitive to light or sound

Causes

Experts aren't sure what causes ocular migraine. Some think the problem is linked to:

• Spasms in blood vessels in the retina, the lining in the back of the eye
• Changes that spread across the nerve cells in the retina

It's rare, but people who have these types of migraine may have a higher risk of permanent vision loss in one eye. Experts don't know whether medications that prevent migraines -- such as tricyclic antidepressants or anti-seizure medications -- can help prevent that vision loss. But if you have ocular migraine, even if it goes away on its own, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

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