TITLE: EXPERIENCING VISION DISTURBANCES: LOOKING FOR SIMILAR EXPERIENCES
HI, EVERYONE. (I'm always serously nervous about posting about such things on forums because it's so easy for folk to say things that really succeed in only scaring me. I am aware that there are doctors, tests and hospitals, but, for this post, I just really want to hear from people about THEIR experiences of what I'm about to describe.)
I'm reaching out because I’ve been experiencing some unusual vision disturbances recently, and I’d love to hear from anyone who might be going through something similar, or who might have experienced them in the past. I wanted to describe exactly what happens to me when these episodes occur, in case it resonates with any of you. I’m hoping to connect with others who have similar experiences.
So! Throughout the last 50 years, or so, I've had, say, 4 or 5 of these vision disturbances during the typical year - more during years in which I've been extra stressed, it has to be said. My mother used to get a few of them per year and my sister still gets some of these, now and then.
DESCRIPTION OF MY VISION DISTURBANCES:
WHEN IT HAPPENS: Sometimes, these vision disturbances happen when I’m lying down, either (a) just before I fall asleep, (b) between periods of sleep, or (c) when I first wake up. Occasionally, I also experience them when I’m in a dark room, with my eyes closed. A fair few times in recent weeks/months, I've even had them come on while I'm at this computer, typing something or just browsing.
WHAT I SEE: It starts with a small and faint, curved line or zigzag pattern/patch - I never check whether it's in one eye or both. The pattern can look like trembling silver light in the form of a herringbone pattern, across my vision. That first patch grows over a few mintutes. It usually begins just to the side of my vision's center-field. Then, it spreads out, often in the visual shape of a crescent. The entire thing always then grows larger, and it can "feel like" it’s moving around, off to one side. I’ve noticed that it can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 60 minutes, but typically fades away slowly, eventually being completely gone.
INTENSITY: At its worst, it can feel like it's about to become overwhelming, making it difficult to see clearly or focus on anything, especially continuing to type or browse, or do most other things. There is no pressure and no real headache. There is no pain, but it’s very unnerving and can bring on a feeling of panic in me and I need to try to get a grip on this so that future episodes of it have the least possible control over me.
ASSOCIATED SENSATIONS: As I said, I get a very faint "headache" around my eye sockets or in the forehead and/or temple area, which may last for a while after the vision disturbance ends, but never becomes anything bad, thankfully.
HOW IT ENDS: The disturbance usually fades slowly, and the vision clears up completely. I often feel a bit shaky or panicked during the episode, believe me! When it's passed off, my eyesight seems to be "too sharp" and "too clear", for a while, then normalises. It's almost like I'm hunting for it, in case it's going to start again, which is very self-defeating. I try to carry on with my day, even though I can’t shake the feeling of it lingering in my mind for a while. Just occasionally, I get it back within 2 hours, again...that's only ever happened, in my life, twice, though...both of them were this year.
Since January of last year, I've had enough stress to have (June and July) put me in a psychiatric hospital, residential, voluntary, for 2 months.
But, it's what the medical profession did in January, of last year, that caused the year to be far worse than it needed to be. If you heard what it was that they did, you'd understand my position regarding trust in the medical profession. So, my current level of stress is savage beyond description!
My Questions:
- Has anyone else experienced these "Aura" (without headache) attacks, or any things similar?
- How do you cope with these episodes?
- Do people just learn to live with them?...can that be done pretty easily?
- Do you have any advice for managing the anxiety that comes with them, or tips to help with relaxing or handling the aftermath?
I’ve found them to be quite frightening, and I just want to know if this is something that other people go through, too.
I’d love to hear from anyone who has had these or knows more about them. Thank you for reading!
Magenta: Oh, I see! Thanks, for that!
IanMcKlatchie The DCs are nothing sinister or symptom related it is just an abbreviation for dear children.
Magenta: What are "the DCs"? When would that have been?
Maremia: Oh. Thanks, for that explanation - yes, I've experienced those and they're pretty horrible. I tend to "jump" at them, now, just in case they trigger one of these horrid things.
That's awful Magenta. The version I get is never as serious. Just the 'jazz eyes" for 45 minutes.
You are walking about your home and then a sudden flash of reflected light hits your eyes before you can blink. That's all it takes. A sudden, unexpected ninja flash.
Since I had the DCs I have not had a migraine (touch wood) but I used to get a sort of pre-migraine warning when I would see swirling black dots that seemed to fall from above. The dots would flash as they fell and I knew I was in for a blinding headache and awful nausea.
I think these attacks were related to stress but as I never had any investigations, I don't really know the cause.
AGAA4: Many thanks, for your reply. Yes, they can be very frightening, indeed!
I have had exactly what you described over many years. Silent migraines. They can be very frightening until you know what they are.
InnocentBystander: Many thanks for your reply.
I am a man who's had these for many years. They usually leave a shadow of a headache some hours later. Recently I had a worrying event in which I could speak only one of two syllable words and anything more came out as if it's the syllables were Scrabble tiles that had been thrown up in the air. It lasted only the same duration as the silent migraines but had no aura but did have the faint headache later. So worried was I that I paid for a private MRI because I feared I'd had a TIA. I hadn't. Eventually it seems that it was a variant on the silent migraine. I mention this as it might happen to anyone with silent migraines as it's a known sign, but it is frightening.
MT62: Thanks, for your reply. I hope that your husband does not suffer too much when those happen. Thanks.
My husband gets these zig-zag lines a few times a year. The optician said it was a migraine without the headache.
Suki70: Thank you for your reply. I think you're another of the heroes because you had, last week, one every day for FIVE days. As for "...enjoy the pretty lights", I like your optician and I don' like any medical anybodies! Thanks!
I wouldn’t worry too much about your symptoms, but would advise that you get them checked out with your GP just in case. I get painless migraines every six months or so and, oddly, so does my husband. We’re both triggered by bright/flashing lights, and too much caffeine can spark mine off. Our respective opticians have diagnosed them as ocular migraines and say they’re quite common and nothing to worry about. My dancing light displays last around 20 minutes, and I always feel wiped out for an hour or so afterwards, then I’m back to normal. Sometimes I can stave off an episode if I notice the lights start to circle, by just sitting back quietly with my eyes closed for a few minutes.
I had a full check up over a whole morning at the stroke clinic last year when I had some numbness in my hand during an ocular migraine and reported this to my GP. I passed all the many tests and was told that if it had been a TIA my whole arm would have been affected - some tingling in the hand can just be a migraine symptom. Hope this helps.
I’ve had these migraines with aura for the last 30 years, since I was in my mid 50’s. They can be triggered by stress, lack of sleep and bright light - I’ve learnt not to look at bright lights and to wear tinted glasses whenever it’s sunny. They start with a flickering in my right eye, which develops into yellow zigzag lines which grow larger and then start in my left eye too. They last about 20 minutes. Sometimes a mild headache follows , sometimes a more severe one but on GP’s advice I take paracetamol as soon as it appears. Occasionally there will be a cluster of them - last week I had one every day for five days. An optician told me to enjoy the pretty lights. They’re annoying and I’m left feeling tired but they no longer worry me.
I’ve had these since I was a young teenager and I’m now 72. I just lie down with my eyes covered to block out the light and it passes with 30 minutes usually. Sometimes it develops into a full on migraine with headache, nausea, occasional numbness down one arm and difficulty finding my words. Mostly it’s just the zig zag visual disturbance and feeling a bit off colour. Nothing to worry about just unpleasant. I get mild attacks about once a month on average.
ElliAnne: Many thanks to you for your reply. You just carry on doing whatever you're doing...you're a brave Lady! Thanks, for that.
Arlme: Thank you, for your replly. I'll be 70 later this year. It's good that yours usually go after about 30 minutes. I am grateful to you for your reply. These replies are starting to get through to me and that's no easy task.
I get these, fairly regularly as I get older. Im 70. No pain, I take an ibuprofen and they go away after about 30 minutes. Optician is adamant there is nothing wrong with my eyes. No specific trigger but it can come on after long time on IPad.
I get these regularly. I see coloured zigzags jumping around and can’t read because the letters jump around or are missing. No headaches and only lasts 20 to 30 minutes. Optician says it has nothing to do with eyes. They don’t bother me unless I am driving. I just carry on doing whatever I’m doing.
Maremia: "Jazz eyes"? What is a sudden ninja beam of reflecting light? Thanks.
We call them 'jazz eyes' and seem to be caused by a sudden ninja beam of reflecting light.
Stay quiet for around 45 minutes, until it wears off.
*SueDonim:" Thank you for your reply, and thank you for the link to the Migraine Trust. I am most grateful for those.
I sometimes get aura with headache migraine and I know people who have the aura but no headache. The Migraine Trust has a lot of information that you might find helpful.
migrainetrust.org/
Petra: You've had 3 just this week? You're a hero!!!
Petra: Thanks, for that. "Silent Migraines". I'll remember the name. Anybody else?
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