An uncommon symptom that can occur during menopause is ocular migraine, also referred to as a visual migraine, migraine with aura, or retinal migraine. Although an ocular migraine is not considered to be a serious condition, the experience can be unsettling or even frightening, so it’s a good idea to understand what is happening and what you can do about it.

What is an ocular migraine?

When we hear the word migraine, we often associate it with severe head pain. However, an ocular migraine typically occurs without pain and solely affects vision. A visual migraine without headache is referred to as an acephalgic migraine.

Before an ocular migraine occurs, it is common to see blind spots (scotoma) in your central eyesight. Once the ocular migraine strikes, it is characterized by flashing or shimmering lights in both eyes that slowly expand outward from one area of the eyes and can be accompanied by black spots, stars, or zigzagging lines. These visual disturbances can make it difficult to drive, read, or write. The entire episode is called an aura.

The cause of ocular migraines is uncertain, although they tend to run in families and have been linked to changing levels of estrogen, such as occurs during perimenopause and menopause, pregnancy, and use of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy. These visual disturbances usually last about 10 to 30 minutes and then go away without any lingering effects.

If an ocular migraine does occur with headache, you may also experience

• Fatigue days or weeks before the ocular migraine occurs
• Unusual cravings for certain foods
• Headaches that get worse when you are physically active
• Nausea or vomiting
• Numbness immediately before the migraine start
• Mood changes

A number of events can trigger an ocular migraine, including:

• Anxiety or stress
• Relaxing after a stressful situation
• Bright or flashing lights
• Loud sounds
• Changes in the weather, such as a drop or rise in barometric pressure and accompanying storms
• Pungent odors
• Eating certain foods, such as alcohol (especially red wine), foods that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial sweeteners, caffeine, processed meats (which contain nitrates), smoked fish, and cured meats

Read about natural headache and migraine remedies

How can you manage ocular migraines naturally?

Here’s the good news: most ocular migraines don’t require any type of treatment. That’s because they go away rather quickly on their own. If you want to avoid them as much as possible, check out the things that may trigger a migraine.

In addition, you can keep a record of when your ocular migraines occur so you can report to your healthcare professional and also help you determine what may be causing your episodes. Be sure to note what you are eating, amount of exercise, stress, and other factors.

A few other steps you can take include:

• Practice stress reduction techniques every day, such as yoga, tai chi, deep breathing, listening to soothing music, or participating in an enjoyable hobby
• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Regular sleep routines can be helpful in regulating hormones.
• Eat at regular intervals to maintain a balanced glucose level

when to see your doctor

If your ocular migraines occur often, you may want to make an appointment with your eye doctor. At the same time, be sure to rest as much as possible and avoid all the things that may trigger an ocular migraine.

bottom line

Ocular migraines are not a common occurrence during perimenopause or menopause. However, they can be unsettling if the occur, so pay attention to how often they occur and see your healthcare provider if you become concerned or if they affect your daily activities.