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Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology pp 1–3Cite as

Retinal/Ocular Migraine

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Synonyms

Ocular migraine; Ophthalmic migraine; Retinal migraine; Visual migraine

Definition

Retinal migraines (more properly retinal vasospasm) were defined in 1988 by the International Headache Society (IHS) as at least two attacks of fully reversible, transient monocular visual loss or disturbances associated with migraine headache. The complete diagnostic definition, as outlined by the IHS is detailed in the “Diagnostics” section below. However, recent literature challenges the notion that monocular visual loss is physiologically associated with migraine headaches. Instead, some researchers propose that “presumed retinal vasospasm” with or without associated migraine would be a more accurate diagnosis for most patients.

Etiology

The pathophysiology of retinal migraine/vasospasm remains controversial. The two main criteria are monocular visual disturbance and migraine headache. Some cases of retinal vasospasm however do not have the migraine headache (acephalgic migraine equivalent)....

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Further Reading

  • Gipponi S, Scaroni N, Venturelli E, Forbice E, Rao R, Liberini P, Padovani A, Semeraro F (2013) Reduction in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in migraine patients. Neurol Sci 34:841–845

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hill DL, Daroff RB, Ducros A, Newman NJ, Biousse V (2007) Most cases labeled as retinal migraine are not migraine. J Neuro-Ophthalmol 27(1):3–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winterkorn JMS (2007) Retinal migraine is an oxymoron. J Neuro-Ophthalmol 27(1):1–2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • www.IHS-Classification.org (International Headache Society). Accessed 12 2014

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, 6560 Fannin Street, Scurlock 450, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Sumayya J. Almarzouqi, Michael L. Morgan & Andrew G. Lee

  2. Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Daniel Croft & Andrew G. Lee

  5. Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

Authors
  1. Daniel Croft
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  2. Sumayya J. Almarzouqi
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  3. Michael L. Morgan
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  4. Andrew G. Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrew G. Lee .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Medical University of Wien Dept of Ophthal & Optometry,AKH, Wien, Austria

    Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main Department of Ophthalmology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Thomas Kohnen

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg (outside the USA)

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Cite this entry

Croft, D., Almarzouqi, S.J., Morgan, M.L., Lee, A.G. (2015). Retinal/Ocular Migraine. In: Schmidt-Erfurth, U., Kohnen, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Ophthalmology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_1225-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35951-4_1225-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35951-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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