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!
I get the aura, followed by a headache, but its nothing like the migraines I had for years.
Its awful, the dread I feel when my vision goes haywire - I'm absolutely in dread in case it turns into a full blown migraine, but it hasn't, for years now.
I ve had these over the years, not so much now. it used to start at the side of one eye, a shimmering zigzag like a wheel,then it would move to the other eye, then the headache started. now there's no headache. I take a pain killer.it goes away after 10 minutes or so. Type of migraine
Ian, it sounds like you’ve had a horrible time and I hope things improve for you soon.
I have also experienced exactly what you describe. I get this from bright lights indoors ..those ones set into the ceiling….bright sunlight….other illness…and stress…and more stress. I lie down if I can and close my eyes and try to relax and it goes away. At first it was frightening but that was years ago. Now I treat it as a message that I need to relax and slow down.
Just to add, since my last post 24th April, possibly tempting fate by adding this, but I haven't had a single aura. The Migraine Centre www.nationalmigrainecentre.org.uk/ worked a miracle! Not an ad, I have no connection to them.
I have these 'episodes' Ian. My aura is very similar the yours, it starts in my right eye with a shining semi circle 3D effect of mountains ( that's what I call them because they look like a range of mountains).
If I am driving I find somewhere to pull over and have to wait for the episode to pass. I always have paracetamol and water with me and take two I have the same tight mildly painful band around the forehead and eyes as you mentioned. I lose the sight in my right eye completely and then gradually it moves to the left eye.
As I only have these episodes every 3 months or so, usually under stress conditions I don't take any permanent medication for it. I had it when I was 25 yrs old then I was prescribed a beta Blocker which helped. I stopped taking them in my 30's.
I try to control my breathing and don't really get anxious about it as I know it will pass. look up breathing techniques online, there are many different methods and they greatly help moments of stress.
My husband has recently died and suffered from dementia for 5 yrs, he often used this technique when he had panic attacks ........ slowly breath in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 secs , slowly breath out for 4 secs then hold for 4 secs and repeat. Good luck.
I am rowing back a bit. I said definitely migraine. But with hindsight I would say that GN is not really the place to get a diagnosis.
You would be much better seeing a doctor to make sure that the sudden appearance of these symptoms in old age (I assume, it is GN) are not a symptom of some other medical problem. Those of us, almost unthinkingly saying, as I did, 'definitely migraine are all migraineurs, who have had these symptoms many times over a lifetime and know when we experience them that they are definitely migraine for them/us.
IanMcKlatchie
ROMILO: TEN MINUTES? You've done incredibly well, there, to make them last only 10 minutes! I must brush up on my aspirin supply! Thanks, for the reply.
If you read the thread we are not talking about the horrors of a full blown migraine, we are talking about the visual disturbances that usually accompany a migraine. I'm sorry you didn't seem to understand that.
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ROMILO: TEN MINUTES? You've done incredibly well, there, to make them last only 10 minutes! I must brush up on my aspirin supply! Thanks, for the reply.
I have had this since I was in my teens and I am now 83! Sometimes this is accompanied by tunnel vision or a sensation that there are bits missing from whatever I am looking at. I often get a very mild headache. Fluorescent lights / flashing sunlight often start this off. I too was told silent migraine. One full strength aspirin as soon as the flashes appear followed by eyes closed and quiet for 10 minutes works every time for me.
nnel vision or a sensation that bits of what I am looking at are missing.
Gran 22Boys: Very many thanks to you, for your reply.
B9Exchange: You've really been over the coals with them, haven't you? Thanks, for your reply.
I have had the auras for decades, every few months. Usually followed by a headache, but not so often over the past few years. About 20 years ago I had an episofe when I was unable to express any words, really frightening, eased off after about half an hour, and one time I lost half my vision completely. Since my husband's severe stroke I have become his sole carer, and the stress has made the come every other day. After having had a trip to A and E following another episode of speech loss, for a suspected TIA, but all investigations normal, I paid for a consultation with the Migraine Trust. Best thing I ever did, prescribed a new class of drugs with no sude effects, change in HRT, and vitamins and Coenzyme-Q10, I hope I am finally beginning to get a handle on them. Do talk to the Migraine Trust Ian, Good Luck!
Yes silent migrain. Nothing to worry about.
M0nica: Thanks, for your reply.
Definitely migraine. I have had migraine since I was a small child and over time it has kept changing.
Only had these 'silent migraines since I passed the menopause.
For some reason the menopause completely changed the nature of my migraine from regular and the form predictable to highly irregular and completely unpredictable. I now have more silent migraines, I have had vestibular migraines, others with extreme vomiting and diarrhea, cluster migraines, the lot.
MayBee70: Many thanks, for your reply. That must've been scary for you. I fully understand.
Ashcombe: Thanks.
I suffered with migraines regularly from my early thirties, usually with dazzles as you describe before the headache struck. Since retiring in 2011, they've become very infrequent.
In 2022, I had open heart surgery to repair my mitral valve which led to dazzles on a daily basis but no headaches. Altough I wasn't recovering as well as I'd expected, I ignored the dazzles which occurred for several months.
A routine ophthalmology dept visual field test revealed issues that suggested I'd suffered a small stroke! In early 2024, a brain scan confirmed this and my medication was adjusted accordingly which saw an end to the dazzles.
My advice to the OP woud be to seek help from your GP and optician to establish a cause for the dazzles, if possible.
First time I had one I was terrified. Thought that, if it didn’t go away I wouldn’t be able to live a normal life ever again. Ran outside into the dark thinking it would go away but the prisms were still there. Of course, after 20 minutes or so it went away so next time it happened I didn’t panic. Rarely get them these days but do seem to have a slight prism effect on sunny days.
VisGirl: Thanks, for that reply. I've been told it's a neurological thing and that my eyes don't even know that it's happening, during them. Weird things.
Yes... I have had a few thought I was having a stroke the first time, I had one.
At that time I was driving to work, (I worked in a Hospital) it frightened the life out of me, but I was OK to drive had no idea what was happening?
Once in work as I knew a few members of staff in the Eye Dept, I got one of the eye Doctor's to check me out, by then it had gone... Had a check out nothing odd going on, told its a Migraine just take a couple of paracetamols and it should go quickly. It does go quickly within half an hour it's gone. Absolutely no idea what brings them on?
I funnily enough had one recently, first one for years.
Oreo: Many thanks, for your reply. The Sunny day thing seems to crop up in mentions quite a lot.
Yes, silent migraines, bright patterns which fade after about 20 mins.Usually caused, to me, by walking from a sunny day into a darker environment, shop or house.No pains.
GP and Optician need to be consulted to rule out any urgent, I’ve had something similar, it comes and goes, had eyes checked and on BP medication.
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