Ocular or Eye Migraines - How Do You Know?

For me ocular migraines are a regular thing as most of my migraine pain happens in or around my eye. The migraine pain itself is still focused inside the head but the migraine itself actually starts in my eye. Usually people who suffer from ocular migraines will get a pain in either their left or right eye - it's very rare to have an ocular migraine in both eyes.

Apparently, from doing research online, ocular migraines are quite rare in migraineurs but the members of my family (migraine being an inherited curse) all suffer from ocular migraines so I'm not sure if there's some confusion about what actually counts as an ocular migraine.

Typically this type of migraine is accompanied by blurred or double vision, vomiting and a pretty strong sick feeling in your stomach. The initial pain will tend to start in and around the eye socket. This is the absolute best time to retreat from noise and light and treat this migraine - in it's very early stages.

Once the pain settles into the eye socket you'll usually feel a throbbing in the eye itself and any form of direct lighting (overhead lights, sunlight etc) is enough to cause agony. You'll also find you're more sensitive to noise of most kinds and you'll be pretty short tempered too.

How Can You Treat Ocular Migraines?
As we said earlier the best thing for you to do is treat the migraine in it's early stages. Personally I used a codeine based painkiller during the first stages of a migraine. Phase 2 of treatment is getting to the quietest, darkest room in my house. Then I'd suggest you cover your eyes with a sleeping/eye mask and put in some ear plugs. Total sensory deprivation (lack of light and noise) has been something that has helped ease my migraines an awful lot.

Try to keep the room you're resting and recovering in cool too. Warm rooms seem to make migraines worse for whatever reason. If you can afford it then I'd suggest spending the few bucks on a chillow as part of your migraine treatment kit - the cooling and soothing effect is worth almost anything during a bad migraine attack.

Are There Side Effects?
An ocular or eye migraine has the same side effects as most migraines - nausea, blurred vision and then a feeling of total exhaustion once the migraine pain itself finally eases off.