Some migraines affect the vision in one eye. This is often called a retinal migraine, an ocular migraine, or an ophthalmic migraine. It remains a mystery as to why this type of a migraine occurs. Some theories bring up the idea that it has to do with a lack of blood flow. If you have undergone some type of injury or accident impacting the head or neck, you may have a blood flow issue.

What should you look for if you suspect you have a retinal migraine? Here are the symptoms:

• Problems with vision -- flashing lights, dark spots, patterns in the visual field, vision loss, temporary blindness
• At least two attacks must have occurred to get a diagnosis
• Only one eye is affected
• The symptoms are reversible -- permanent vision problems are not a part of retinal migraines
• Head pain begins at some point while the visual problems are happening or within an hour of them stopping. A headache can last for hours or as long as three days. It is usually on one side, includes throbbing pain, causes sensitivity to light and sound, and causes nausea.

Finding Help for Retinal Migraines

If you have endured an accident or trauma that impacted the head or neck, this may be the underlying cause of your retinal migraine. If a misalignment happened to one of the bones of the upper cervical spine, it is possible that it is acting as a blockage to blood flow to the brain and, in turn, to the eye or optic nerve.

Here at Balanced Living in Vancouver, Washington, we use a gentle method to help the neck bones move back into place without the need for popping or cracking the spine. Rather, it is a natural method that results in long-lasting effects. Many patients see an improvement in their migraines -- retinal and otherwise -- in just a few adjustments.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Joe Perin, call our Vancouver office at 360-569-1740. You can also click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.