Diagnose this?

[Jenny in Florida]

This is the second or third time I've experienced this, and I have yet to track down what it means.

 

I'm trucking right along, doing my usual things, when suddenly, my vision gets . . . weird. The best description I can come up with is that it looks like a portion of my field of vision, usually low and to my left, breaks into sections -- like fractals? -- and starts rotating. At the moment, the pieces are moving clockwise. If I move my eyes to look toward them, to my left, the whole thing moves farther out that direction. I can see through it, but it's almost like trying to see through water.

 

I have a mild headache, but nothing unusual.

 

I haven't bumped my head or done anything out of the ordinary all day.

 

Last time it happened, I was pretty close to panicking, but then it cleared up and went away.

 

It's annoying, because I can't really focus on anything. And I will admit it's a little scary.

 

The best guess I've come up with after some time on Google and with the WebMD symptom checker is ocular migraine. But the WebMD thingie is also telling me to go to the ER, which I would like to avoid.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Edit: And, before I could hit "Submit," it pretty much stopped. Still, I'd be interested in thoughts about what this is and whether I should be worried about it, since it has happened before.

[texasmama]

Does it look like a kaleidoscope? That is what happens when I get migraines. It is both eyes and all around the edges of my vision until I only have a bit of tunnel vision left.

[Jenny in Florida]

Does it look like a kaleidoscope? That is what happens when I get migraines. It is both eyes and all around the edges of my vision until I only have a bit of tunnel vision left.

 

Yes, that's a great description.

 

Does yours come with pain, though?

[AngieW in Texas]

It sounds like an ocular migraine to me. You can go to an optometrist or opthamologist. They see this all the time and can give you some peace of mind.

 

I took my dd to an optometrist when this started happening to her. He did imaging of the back of the eye to make sure there wasn't any pressure and prescribed glasses for her. The glasses stopped the ocular migraines completely, but did nothing for her regular migraines. At least she can see now. Her vision was completely blurring out with the optical migraines.

[texasmama]

Yes, that's a great description.

 

Does yours come with pain, though?

Yes, I have had migraines for over 20 years. I've had two EEGs and mine follow a predictable pattern. I take Imitrex. It would be a good idea for you to see a family doctor or a neurologist for a diagnosis to rule out other issues.

[texasmama]

sorry, double post

[Vida Winter]

Ocular migrane. You described it exactly. Dr. 's advice was to live with them unless they get very frequent (who know what that means), in which case get an MRI. The first few times it happens it is alarming. Changes in light (bright light outside, sort of dark indoors) can bring them on.

[Spryte]

Another vote for ocular migraines. My mother and her twin both have these, but no pain beyond maybe a mild headache. Your description is a great fit. Sometimes my mom and her sister will say that it looks like they are looking through beveled glass on the edges, too.

[Jenny in Florida]

Thanks, everyone. It really does sound like ocular migraine. My husband is insisting that I make an appointment to see my doctor early next week, anyway, just to cover the bases. But I feel much less worried now.

[Pippen]

Are you on any meds? I once was taking an antibiotic (Levaquin) that gave me a full color kaleidescope experience. :huh: Got off that one real quick...

 

I've also had similar visual disturbances when I had undiagnosed high blood pressure.

[Jenny in Florida]

Are you on any meds?

 

I'm taking something, the name of which escapes me at the moment, to decrease thyroid function and propanalol (a beta blocker). My husband asked me if the first episode of this came before or after I started on the meds, but I can't remember. I've been on them since October, and the first incident was relatively recent. So, it's quite possible it was after I started taking them.

[Ameena]

I'm taking something, the name of which escapes me at the moment, to decrease thyroid function and propanalol (a beta blocker). My husband asked me if the first episode of this came before or after I started on the meds, but I can't remember. I've been on them since October, and the first incident was relatively recent. So, it's quite possible it was after I started taking them.

 

Your thyroid med should be either Methimazole or PTU {short for a much much much longer name I can't spell} :)

 

Do you see an Endo for the thyroid? They need to send you for a check for TED - Thyroid Eye Disease. It's common for it to flare after going on thyroid suppressant meds.

 

I have mild TED and get the same thing, except they just make everything look like one of the old old PC screens where you could see all the pixels if you sat too close.

[ChristusG]

Just wanted to add that ocular migraines can be hormonal as well. I usually have about one per year. When I got pregnant with dd#3, I had three within two weeks!

[Barbara H]

There are some good videos illustrating migraine aura on YouTube.

or

[Butter]

Perfect description of an ocular migraine. I even use the term fractals to describe mine. That's really what they look like. I get then on average once a month. Sometimes I'll have none for months and then 3 in a week. They are annoying and leave me feeling off for a few hours, but they are not dangerous. The doctor suspects mine (and my dad's) are related to allergies.

[PachiSusan]

There are some good videos illustrating migraine aura on YouTube.

or

 

 

The top one is what mine look like!

[Cindy in FL.]

I vote ocular migraine as well. I get them occasionally and the visual disturbance lasts for about 30 minutes. That is followed by a period of feeling "off". A slight headache and some nausea.

[Tiramisu]

I would think about the hormone connection for an ocular migraine. For me, they've happened within a few days of Aunt Flo's visit.

[J-rap]

My daughter gets this a lot, both with the actual migraine headache and without. (Usually with.) My husband only gets the vision part sometimes when he gets his migraines, and he says it's always in the shape of a Nike sign.

[momtoamiracle]

My dh had one of those once, was diagnosed with migraine.

 

 

 

I just saw on tv yesterday that if you get migraines you have a higher chance of stroke.

 

Be aware of the symptoms. Vision issues is one of the symptoms.

[Parrothead]

Ocular migraines. When I get them I do deep breathing exercises. It helps them go away within 5 minutes or so.

[WishboneDawn]

Triggers for me include low blood sugar and exhaustion. Two more things to watch for anyway.

[Vida Winter]

Ocular migraines. When I get them I do deep breathing exercises. It helps them go away within 5 minutes or so.

 

 

I'll keep this in mind! Thanks for the tip.

[Laurie4b]

Thanks, everyone. It really does sound like ocular migraine. My husband is insisting that I make an appointment to see my doctor early next week, anyway, just to cover the bases. But I feel much less worried now.

 

 

 

Actually, the description is so clear that most doctors wouldn't have you come in. The first time I had an ocular migraine, I called my optometrist. He diagnosed over the phone. That one was just a piece of my vision was kind of absent.

 

Another time, I got the whole "arcade" thing. I had just been discharged from the hospital and since that was a totally new thing, it scared me and I called the doctor at the hospital back and again, they dx'd over the phone.

 

That visual part of ocular migraines typically lasts about 20 min.

 

I didn't have a headache either time.