Retinal migraine (ocular migraine) is a rare type of migraine that involves an aura, with visually predominant hallucinations. It is an eye condition that causes brief attacks of temporary blindness or visual problems like flashing lights in one eye. In most of the cases, the vision becomes normal after a short while, and the signs are harmless. Some people get retinal migraine every few months, although the frequency can vary. Retinal migraine is a separate condition different from headache-type migraine or migraine with aura, which usually affects the vision of both eyes.
Signs and symptoms
- Seeing twinkling lights, also known as scintillations
- Areas of lessened vision, also called scotoma
- Temporary loss of vision, or blindness
- Any of the above happening repeatedly
- Headache before during or after the vision attack
Causes
The underlying cause of retinal migraine remains largely unknown. A possible cause discovered upon examining people with active retinal migraine is that some individuals were having a spasm of the blood supply to the retina as their migraine occurred.
It may be triggered by:
- stress
- smoking
- high blood pressure
- oral contraceptive pill
- excess exercise
- high altitude
- dehydration
- low blood sugar
- excessive heat
Retinal migraine tends to be more common in:
- women
- people aged under 40
- personal or family history of migraine or other headaches
- people with an underlying disease – such as lupus, hardening of the arteries, sickle cell anaemia, epilepsy, antiphospholipid syndrome, and giant cell arteritis
Pathophysiology
Retinal migraine is caused by the blood vessels to the eye suddenly narrowing (constricting), reducing the blood flow to the eye. Afterwards the blood vessels relax, blood flow resumes and sight returns. Usually there are no abnormalities within the eye and permanent damage to the eye is rare.
Diagnosis
There are no diagnostic tests to confirm retinal migraine. Diagnosis is accomplished by reviewing the patient’s personal and family medical history, studying their symptoms, and conducting an examination. Retinal migraine is then diagnosed by ruling out other causes for the symptoms.
Treatments
Treatment for retinal migraine usually just involves taking pain relief for any headaches and reducing exposure to anything that might be triggering the retinal migraine.
- aspirin
- beta-blocker
- calcium channel blocker
- tricyclic antidepressant
- anti-epileptics
Prognosis
Mostly the attacks are short and self-relieving
Complications
- Retinal damage
- Vision loss
Disease & Ayurveda
There is not a single disease name explained in Ayurveda for retinal migraine. But Ayurveda explains the eyes as the seat of Pitta and associated with headaches like suryavarta and anantavata, ardhavabhedaka etc. So, a vitiation of Vaata and Pitta can lead to this disease.
Nidana
Dry food intake & excessive food intake
Wind from east side
Causative factors for the vitiation of Vaata & Pitta
Irregular sleep or lack of sleep
Taking bath in cold water immediately after heat/sun exposure
Purvaaroopa
Not mentioned
Samprapti
Not mentioned
Lakshana
Seeing bright lights and visual hallucinations with or without headache
Divisions
Not mentioned
Prognosis
Yaapya
Chikithsa
Samana
Lepanam with Soolahara dravyas
Aamapachanam
Agnideepanam
Intake of jeernaghrutam
Sodhana
Avapeedanasyam
Uttamammtrasnehapanam with Chatu:sneham
Sirovirechananasyam
Kaayavirechanam
Upanaha
Sirovasti
Nadeeswedam
Asthapanavasti
Anuvasanavasti
Commonly used medicines
Pathyakshadhatryadi kashayam
Sirasoolari vajrarasam
Brands available
AVS Kottakal
AVP Coimbatore
SNA oushadhasala
Vaidyaratnam oushadhasala
Home remedies
There is no cure for migraine at home but some measures can be helpful to lessen the suffering due to migraine.
- using flexible cold packs or masks
- staying in a quiet, darkened room
- sleeping, when necessary
- herbal extracts, like jatipatri, karpoora and turmeric
- acupuncture
- neck exercises
A migraine episode is often a response to a trigger. To figure out the culprit, a person might try keeping a diary and recording what they did, ate, and drank before an episode.
It may be particularly helpful to avoid:
- low blood sugar
- physical overexertion
- stress
- certain foods, such as chocolate and any that contain tyramine
- certain medications, like some birth control pills
- bright lights and flickering screens
The following strategies can also help reduce the frequency of migraines:
- getting enough rest and sleep
- reducing stress
- drinking plenty of water
- improving posture
- avoiding dietary triggers, such as caffeine, alcohol, and cheese
- exercising daily
Diet
- To be avoided
Heavy meals and difficult to digest foods – cause indigestion.
Junk foods- cause disturbance in digestion and reduces the bioavailability of the medicine
Carbonated drinks – makes the stomach more acidic and disturbed digestion
Refrigerated and frozen foods – causes weak and sluggish digestion by weakening Agni (digestive fire)
Milk and milk products – increase kapha, cause obstruction in channels and obesity
Curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups, honey
Freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, black pepper, ajwain etc
Behaviour:
Protect yourself from cold climate.
Better to avoid exposure to excessive sunlight wind rain or dust.
Maintain a regular food and sleep schedule.
Avoid holding or forcing the urges like urine, faeces, cough, sneeze etc.
Avoid sedentary lifestyle.
Yoga
Regular stretching and mild cardio exercises are advised. Also, specific yogacharya including naadisuddhi pranayama, bhujangaasana, pavanamuktasana is recommended.
Regular exercise helps improve bioavailability of the medicine and food ingested and leads to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within the body and with the surrounding system.
Pavanamuktasana
Nadisudhi pranayama
Bhujangasana
Simple exercises for lungs and heart health
All the exercises and physical exertions must be decided and done under the supervision of a medical expert only.
Research articles
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29939547/
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, United States. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult your GP before the intake.
Writer:
Dr. Rajesh Nair, the co-founder and chief consultant of Ayurvedaforall.Com, is a graduate of prestigious Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College (affiliated with the University of Calicut), Kerala, India. Additionally, he holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy from Annamalai University.
Dr. Nair offers consultation at two busy clinics in and around Haripad, Alleppey, Kerala, the southern state famous worldwide for authentic ayurvedic treatment and physicians. While offering consultation on all aspects of ayurvedic treatments Dr. Nair has a special interest in Panchkarma, Yoga, and Massage.
Through Ayurvedaforall Dr. Nair offers online consultation to patients worldwide and has served hundreds of patients over the last 20 years. In addition to his Ayurvedic practice, he is the chief editor of ayurveda-amai.org, the online portal of Ayurveda Medical Association of India, and the state committee member of Ayurveda Medical Association of India.
Dr. Nair is a regular speaker at Ayurveda-related conferences and has visited Germany to propagate Ayurveda. You can write directly to him-
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