Symptoms related to the visual system in migraine

F1000Res. 2019 Jul 30:8:F1000 Faculty Rev-1219. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.18768.1. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Migraine is a common headache disorder characterized by often-severe headaches that may be preceded or accompanied by a variety of visual symptoms. Although a typical migraine aura is not difficult to diagnose, patients with migraine may report several other visual symptoms, such as prolonged or otherwise atypical auras, "visual blurring", "retinal migraine", "ophthalmoplegic migraine", photophobia, palinopsia, and "visual snow". Here, we provide a short overview of these symptoms and what is known about the relationship with migraine pathophysiology. For some symptoms, the association with migraine is still debated; for other symptoms, recent studies indicate that migraine mechanisms play a role.

Keywords: migraine aura; ophthalmoplegic migraine; palinopsia; persistent aura; photophobia; prolonged aura; retinal migraine; visual snow.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cognition
  • Humans
  • Migraine Disorders* / complications
  • Migraine Disorders* / diagnosis
  • Migraine with Aura* / complications
  • Migraine with Aura* / diagnosis
  • Vision Disorders

Grants and funding

The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work.