Optical Migraine Symptoms: Understanding Visual Migraines

An optical migraine, also called an ocular migraine, is a visual type of migraine that can occur with or without the typical migraine pain. Optical migraines can happen fast and suddenly, which can be frightening and alarming if you do not know what is happen to you. Here are the symptoms of an optical migraine:

Blind Spot

• A blind spot will typically appear in the center of your vision and slowly move outward.

Rainbows

• You may see rainbows of color at the edges of the blind spot and at the edges of your vision.

Flashing Lights

• Flashing lights can appear at the edges of your vision and seem to move outwards.

Dreamlike State

• You may feel as though you are in a dream and feel an "out-of-body" sensation.

Pain

• Once the visual disturbances disappear, there may or may not be a headache-type pain similar to a cluster headache.