Excellent description of visual disturbances!!!

[LUVMyBirman]

Had a complete eye exam with inferred photos about six months ago. Complete Nero work up twice in that last six years. Everything is normal. Still experience these symptoms along with many others here.

One good note. Was having this conversation with two migraine sufferers that are not heart patients. We have the same symptoms. The only common link I could find was that we all have very small veins. You know the ones that make a blood draw impossible. Makes me think it's a cirrcutatory issue. My granmother was the same. Small veins, migraines.

Just some food for thought. The associated poll may help us shed some light on the migraines and visual disturbances.



http://www.apagrafix.com/patiented/floaters/floaters.htm

 

[MelissaM]

Hi Gina,

Thanks for the link. I was looking forward to seeing if our visual disturbances were similar. I get the "flashes" mentioned in the link, but haven't ever thought much of them, since they go away so quickly. The ones I am concerned about are much different from these - loss of peripheral vision, double vision, and opaque rings of "snow".

I am scheduled for an MRI and MRA next week. We'll see what (if anything) that reveals.

Thanks again,

Melissa

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Good info Gina...thanks for posting.

I've had both "floaters and flashers" on occasion and been thoroughly checked out. It's nice to finally hear that they are a result of aging... especially when I had my first episode in my early 20's..! Go figure..

 

[tobagotwo]

Most of the optical disturbances reported on the site are recognizable as occular or atypical migraines. It seems to go along with the territory. Along with those mentioned in Gina's article, other apparitions within this pattern are stigma (a gray blob which appears in the vision of one eye and stays there a while), and the shattered glass or rainbow glass effect (where an area that appears like shards of broken glass reflecting sunlight in rainbow colors appears, usually in one eye).

There is also the "gray curtain" effect, usually covering part or most of the vision in one eye, believed to be most often associated with benign posterior vitreous detachment, a function of aging.

Another issue that shows up frequently is transient double vision.

Obviously, you want to go to an ophthalmologist quicky to have any of these looked at the first time it happens or if it becomes significantly different at some point, as they can check for signs of TIA and retinal issues. They are usually well-versed in these types of visual effects, and can forward you to other specialists as necessary. This should be covered by insurance, as an ophthalmologist is a doctor, not just a technician.

Although retinal detachment and TIAs do cause similar disturbances, they don't appear to be the common issue for the large majority of people with valve disease who also share these visual phenomena.

The general experience seems to be that unless one of these causes is obviously present, the specific causation is often not determined, even after a great deal of testing. Usually, it is then relegated to the general occular/atypical migraine group or labeled (CYA) as a "possible TIA."

Unfortunately, even when testing does provide a name for the symptom, the results seem to be generally ambivalent in terms of whether the condition is actually dangerous or benign.

There have been many possible explanations offered for this. Some involve constriction of the small blood vessels serving the visual cortex of the brain or the optic nerve. Another notion is the presence of tiny calcium particles in those same small blood vessels. This would help explain why the problem often shows up before surgery, but likely doesn?t explain why it sometimes goes away after surgery.

As most people have had these visual disturbances for years without other noticeable effects, the consensus of experience is that most cases appear to be benign. As such, while it is prudent to have these manifestations checked quickly, horror and panic are probably not practical first steps if this condition enters your life.

If you want to read more threads on this, search the forums for "visual," or "vision." There are lots of threads on this, a number of them excellent, as this issue is very common among valvers. I seem to recall a fairly recent, long thread entitled ?visual disturbances,? or similar.

Best wishes,

 

[Marguerite53]

right! Define mature!

right! Define mature!

Thanks Gina,

That was a very good link. My ophthalmologist recently described my floaters to me, too. Thanks for putting it up so that others with questions can get a concise description.

Janie, right. Mature? I've had my flashers since high school!

Interesting about the small vein idea......I have a horrible time with blood draws. I was told by a tech to drink lots and lots of water before the draw (all day the day before a fasting draw) and that has helped me tremendously. Please try that before your next date with a needle. Also, ever since I started taking a baby aspriin every night, I've had fewer episodes of my visual migraines (those are abit different, that link does mention them as the zigzag lines which last about 20 minutes).

(Al, notice I spelled ophthalmologist correctly!!! )

Marguerite

 

[tobagotwo]

I have a few veins you could drive a truck through, so I guess I wouldn't fit the delicate vein profile, but there's plenty of room for multiple correct explanations here.

I agree that the article was a nice find, Gina.

And I also spelled ophthalmologist right this time. At least once, maybe several times...

Best wishes,

 

[MelissaM]

Bob,

Do you have any links around the 'stigma' you mentioned? I've searched high and low and couldn't find anything around this.

Melissa

 

[tobagotwo]

Visual symptoms of atypical migraine

Visual symptoms of atypical migraine

Actually, the stigma info was directly from my ophthalmologist. When I went to him, I was terrified that my retina was peeling away. He looked intently at everything, asked me some questions, then came back with a book. He showed me a picture. "Does it look like this?" "Yes," I cried, excited. Then, much less enthusiastically "Uh, what does it mean that I have?"

It was a descriptive on atypical migraines. One of the mentions there was the stigma, which is a grayish blob, which might have some greenish or reddish overtones. It basically resembles that temporary burnt-out area you get when you inintentionally look directly into the sun. You know, for a few minutes you have that grey-green-red blob in the middle of your vision, that's still there even when you close your eyes?

Mine comes back in the same shape every time, It's sort of like a flying saucer thing with a dome top, a Saturnesque ring at the middle, and a short, rectangular base. I can see everything around it as peripheral vision, but it sits in the center of the picture, and is incredibly distracting. I don't believe I could drive with it, even with that eye closed.

Oddly, I rarely get a headache with it, which is part of why it is termed atypical, and when I do, it is not anything like the devastating types I have seen others with migraines endure.

So, I don't have a site for it. Did find this one on migraines looking for it, though... http://headaches.about.com/library/weekly/aa-encouragement.htm?

Excerpt: "For many years, it was thought that abnormally dilated blood vessels caused migraines. Advances in imaging technology now allow scientists to observe the brain during a migraine attack. This technology has led to the discovery that migraine sufferers have unusually excitable brain nerve cells (neurons). When a migraine is TRIGGERED, those neurons suddenly fire electrical pulses that ripple from the back of the brain, across the top, then back down to the brainstem where vital pain centers are located. This "wave" causes blood flow to increase drastically, then quickly drop off again. The pain of migraine is caused by the blood vessels inflamed by the swings in blood flow, brainstem stimulation, or both."

And another: http://www.nanosweb.org/patient_info/brochures/images/migrain_1.jpg

Excerpt: "Migraine may be associated with visual symptoms. These are usually in both eyes but often to one side. This most frequently starts with a spot of blurring that expands to one side over 10 to 30 minutes.

"The expanding border is often described as "shimmering" or associated with "zig-zag" lines, "heat waves," or "sparklers." While most frequently followed by a headache this may be absent ("migraine variant"). Less commonly vision may be lost in one eye only. This may involve the entire field or only the upper or lower section. In very rare cases the visual defect may not entirely resolve. This may be due to a completed stroke associated with migraine.

"Other visual system pathology includes uncommon episodes of double vision, change in lid position (lid droop), or change in pupil size (both smaller and larger). These are rare and need to be investigated to make sure nothing else is going on.

"Migraine episodes can affect other parts of the brain and may produce episodes of weakness in one arm, leg or side, numbness, or even problems with speech. This should clear within an hour. If it doesn't additional work up is probably indicated.

"Diagnosis
"In most cases a history is sufficient to make a diagnosis. This is particularly true if there is a family history and if the episodes are "stereotypic" (occurring repetitively in the same fashion). When atypical (a new pattern) and especially if there is any persistent loss of vision, or weakness then obtaining an MRI may reduce the chance of other vascular pathology. Onset in older patients without a prior history used to be felt rare. While less common older individuals may suffer first attacks of migraine."

...and this picture, apparently an early map, which highly resembles my rainbow broken glass apparition. When I see it, there are rainbow/prismatic color effects on the panes in the picture:

 

[tobagotwo]

More about visual symptoms and stigmas...

More about visual symptoms and stigmas...

More about symptoms and stigmas...

Websters defines stigma in seven segments, but they carry a theme: a mark, a speck, a pigmented spot, a nevus. You will appreciate the simple term, "stigma" after you read what follows.

Here's a different naming approach, referring to it as a scotomata, in this discussion of migraines with auras. Basically, an aura is a series of symptoms, like the ones depicted here, associated with migraines.

(Hang on. It's not that long, and it all gets explained at the end.):

http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/topic485.htm

Excerpt: "Visual symptoms, including the following, are most common:

"Negative scotomata or negative visual phenomena, such as homonymous hemianopic or quadrantic field defects, central scotomata, tunnel vision, altitudinal visual defects, or even complete blindness

"Positive visual phenomena or scintillating scotomata, the most common consisting of an absent arc or band of vision with a shimmering or glittering zigzag border: This often is combined with photopsias or visual hallucinations which may take various shapes. This is a highly characteristic syndrome that always occurs prior to the headache phase of an attack and is pathognomonic of a classic migraine. It is called a "fortification spectrum" because the serrated edges of the hallucinated "C" resemble a "fortified town with bastions around it."

"Photophobia

"Photopsia (uniform flashes of light) or simple forms of visual hallucinations that occur commonly with positive visual phenomena"


I know. Everybody's thinking, "I'm not sure what these mean, but I feel like I ought to be a little offended, somehow." Me, too.

Here are some definitions:

Aura - a series of symptoms, like the ones depicted here, associated with migraines or the onset of a migraine episode.

Negative - as used above, meaning symptoms that cause a visual deficit or blind spot.

Positive - as used above, meaning symptoms that produce light effects, such as bright, sparkling, prismatic, or glittering spots

Homonymous hemianopic field defect - the oft-described half-curtain effect (Hemianopsia is a blindness in one half of the visual field, which may affect one or both eyes. Homonymous means to have the same nature as.)

Quadrantic field defects - same effect on a quarter of the visual field

Central scotomata - A blind spot in the middle of the visual field (my stigma!)

Scintillating scotomata - a blind spot with flashing lights, sparkling colors, etc.

Photopsias - luminous rays, lines, or coruscations (sparkling or glittering display)

Fortification Spectrum - my "rainbow broken glass" apparition, like the picture in my prior post. In real life, it has prism-like colors for me. It is a separate effect from the scotomata, and shows up independently.

These are a lot of the occular symptoms we commonly discuss here, and are definitely tied to migraines. Hopefully, this makes some folks feel better about them.

Still, you should have them checked out by the ophthalmologist the first time, and if gross changes in their nature occur. There is nothing that would prevent someone with migraines from getting a retinal detachment later on, after all. They would still have the same risk as anyone else.

Best wishes,

 

[Marguerite53]

Red Wine

Red Wine

Just thought of this one after reading another thread.......

I'm always stressing that you get familiar with the episodes and try to discern what might have triggered them. For me, red wine is a major trigger. Or anything with purple grapes (welches!! ). I know there are so many new benefits arising with the daily glass of red wine, but for those of you who partake and who suffer these visual disturbances, see if the wine might be contributing.

That's all!

Marguerite

 

[Johnny Stephens]

I used to get these all the time. Now, they're much less frequent than before surgery. The graphic that best illustrates what I see is in the link below. I used to call it the "electric banana"

http://www.upstate.edu/neurology/haas/hpmiaus.htm

 

[Marguerite53]

Perfect.

Perfect.

Johnny, you're right, that's it! Try taking a strong B vitiamin with it and you'll go psychedelic!! I always experience several at once.

Marguerite

 

[Sherry]

Interesting thread, Gina. I've been disturbance-free for a few weeks, but you know, the minute I say something like that... Oh well, we'll talk in Golden.