Praachi K Verma

Blurry Vision Headaches Pain in any region of the head is called a headache. Nearly everyone has experienced a headache, some of us have had it several times. If a headache is accompanied by blurred vision or double vision, then it is called a blurry vision headache. It is frightening to experience a headache that spreads from your head to your eyes, to blur your vision – especially when it happens for the first time. It can affect one or both eyes and it can show other optical symptoms as well. Many possible conditions can cause a headache with blurred vision, with migraines being the most common cause of all. Types of Headaches That Can Cause Optical Symptoms Migraine Migraine is a common primary headache disorder. The ​Global Burden of Disease Study 2010​, ranked it as the third most prevalent disorders in the world. It is also ranked as the seventh most disabling disease in the world and is three times more common in women than in men. However, in children, migraine is slightly more common in males. Migraine typically occurs from childhood to middle age. Its frequency decreases during pregnancy or with advancing age. About 20% of migraine sufferers have headache attacks with aura. Aura means any neurological disturbance that appears shortly before or during the migraine headaches. The neurological symptoms of migraine with aura usually develop over a 5-20 minutes period and lasts for less than an hour. Migraines that causes visual symptoms like halos, zigzag lines, blind spots, sparkles or flashing lights, etc. are defined as ocular migraine or migraine with aura. Neurologists believe that aura is caused by hyper-excited nerves in the brain which are activated in the visual processing areas of the brain before the onset of migraine pain. Also, genetics play an important role as 70% of the migraine problems are hereditary. Symptoms:​ Migraine symptoms vary widely, however, they can include: ● ● A blind spot in the field of sight that spreads to cover up to half of the visual field Often preceded by several hours of depression, irritability, fatigue, and sluggishness ● ● ● ● ● ● Halos, sparkles or flashing lights, tunnel vision, temporary blindness or temporary flashes of stars Slurring of speech Numbness or tingling on one side of the body Watery eyes, running nose or congestion Throbbing or pulsating pain, often beginning around the eye and temple, spreading to the back of the head Nausea and vomiting. Use POUND method to identify migraine pain P- pulsating pain O- one-day duration of severe untreated attacks U- unilateral or one-sided pain N- nausea and vomiting D- disabling intensity. Cluster Headaches Cluster headaches are uncommon but are very severe and strictly unilateral headaches. They are five times more common in males than in females. Although they can affect anyone, they are more common in middle-aged males with a history of smoking. The term cluster is used because the headaches come in clusters or bouts, occurring one to eight times a day. Attacks last for weeks or months separated by remission periods usually lasting months or years. A cluster headache comes on quickly, sometimes with aura or blurring, and strikes on one side of the head. The exact cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but patterns suggest an abnormality in the hypothalamus as being the cause. Symptoms: A cluster headache starts quickly and usually without any warning signs. Some common symptoms of cluster headache include: ● ● ● ● ● ● Excruciating pain on one side of the head eye on the painful side is watery, red, and with droopy eyelids forehead or facial sweating on the affected side Runny nose and congestion on the affected side Restlessness Nausea and sensitivity to light. Eye Strain Headache Eye strain is a common condition nowadays, all thanks to the digital era of screen addiction. According to ​The Vision Council​, 80% of American adults spend more than two hours a day with their eyes fixed on any digital device and about 59% of them report experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain. Intense use like prolonged exposure to digital devices or driving long distances disrupts the eye’s ability to focus and often leads to eye muscle strain. Symptoms: Strained eyes often results in: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Headaches blurred vision dry eyes Dizziness Sore neck or shoulders Sore or itchy eyes Sensitivity to light. Treatment & Prevention The treatment will focus on the cause of your headache and blurry vision and may include: ● Aspirin is the most commonly prescribed drug for treating headache ● Migraine prevention medications ● Calcium channel blockers for cluster headaches. Having experienced a blurry vision headache before makes you to look for ways to prevent it from happening again. Luckily, there are many ways to help you achieve it: ● ● ● ● ● ● Exercise or do yoga regularly. A simple exercise like a brisk walk for 30 minutes, 3 times a week is also sufficient. Try meditation and relaxation techniques Avoid digital eye strain by cutting down your screen time Headaches are related to anxiety and depression. Maintaining mental health is important to prevent its recurrence Don’t overuse pain medications, it might aggravate the condition Maintain a healthy lifestyle with optimal sleep, diet, and exercise. When To See A Doctor. Sometimes, headaches can be the warning signs of a bigger medical problem. Low blood sugar, hypertension, stroke, and carbon monoxide poisoning are often known to cause initial symptoms like blurry vision headaches. Hence, it is necessary to seek emergency medical care if you experience: ● Headache with fever or stiff neck ● Loss of consciousness or confusion ● Convulsions ● Facial numbness or paralysis ● Headache along with tingling or pain in the eye and/or ear ● Persistent headache following a blow or injury to the head ● Sudden headache which feels like a blow to the head ● Headache that interferes with activities like walking and speaking ● Drooping of eyelids or lips. Sources​: Aura https://headaches.org/2007/10/25/aura/ What is ocular migraine? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325831.php#what-is-ocular-migraine Understanding Ocular Migraine Americanmigrainefoundation.org A controlled study of visual symptoms and eye strain factors in chronic headache https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/- Aura with Headache americanheadachesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Aura-With-HeadacheThe International Classification of Headache Disorders journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf Digital Eye Strain www.thevisioncouncil.org/content/digital-eye-strain Headache: When to worry, what to do www.health.harvard.edu/pain/headacheManaging your migraine www.migrainetrust.org/living-with-migraine/coping-managing