Don’t be deceived by the colorful sights your eyes might see. This symptom is often a warning sign.
Strange migraines, which can be debilitating, often come with a range of unpleasant symptoms, one of which includes visual disturbances experienced by the patient.
Simulation of the visual disturbances experienced by those with migraines. (Photo: Kronos).
What are these hazy images?
The strange light streaks that people see during a migraine are known as migraine aura, one of the prodromal symptoms of a migraine.
These auras do not occur in everyone with migraines, and each person may experience them in different forms. However, they often present as zigzagging lines, circles, flashing lights, static spots, or blind spots, and they tend to have vibrant colors.
As a headache disorder, migraines are one of the most common medical conditions, affecting about 12% of the population.
Many questions remain unanswered about what occurs during a migraine attack, but it is believed to be the result of a neurological dysfunction that triggers a series of events in the brain.
Dr. Christian Lucas explains in the journal Revue Neurologique: “About 15% to 1/3 of people with migraines experience this phenomenon. This is a reversible neurological phenomenon associated with visual, sensory, speech, and/or motor symptoms, which gradually develop and typically occur before the migraine headache.”
Strange visual disturbances appear in migraine sufferers
“Visual auras are the most common type of hallucination […] They often manifest as a zigzag pattern near a fixed point in the visual field, which can gradually spread to the right or left and appears bulging on one side with a bright shimmering edge, leaving behind an absolute or relative blind spot,” Dr. Christian Lucas added.
The aura itself is not dangerous, but there is a risk of misdiagnosis in more severe cases when visual disturbances occur due to another cause, such as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), commonly known as a “mini-stroke.”
Different visual images appearing in migraine patients.
Migraines are also associated with an increased risk of stroke, particularly in individuals using certain hormonal contraceptive methods.
For this reason, individuals experiencing migraines with aura should inform their doctors for timely consultation.
These auras can also be beneficial as they may serve as a warning sign for patients to take preventive measures or alleviate the severity of the impending migraine.
The zigzagging, shimmering images in your eyes do not lie; do not ignore their warning.
