Visual Disturbances and Migraines Linked


A new study has shown that people who suffer from migraines are less able to successfully focus their eyes on visual disturbances. The study, conducted at Caledonian University, Glasgow, has shown that people who suffer from migraines may be less able to successfully process visual cues, under certain conditions, than people who don’t experience migraines.

Eyesight and migraines are already understood to be connected in a number of ways. It is thought that up to one third of migraine sufferers, or migraineurs, experience neurological disturbances that affect their field of vision prior to the onset of an individual migraine. However, the study shows that migraines and eyesight may be more closely linked than previously understood.

Researchers asked participants to spot a disk of light in normal conditions and amidst visual disturbance. Migraine sufferers were able to pin-point the disk of light under normal circumstances just as well as non-migraine sufferers. However, migraine sufferers were less able to find the disk among visual disturbance - the visual equivalent of ‘white noise’. The research, published in the April issue of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, concludes that migraine sufferers are at a disadvantage when looking for detail in cluttered or busy visual environments. Lead researcher, Doreen Wagner, says that this may be caused by clusters of nerve cells being ‘over excited’ by visual disturbance.

The researchers believe that the study can be used to practically benefit many migraine sufferers. For instance, Wagner suggests that migraineurs may be able to limit the number of migraines suffered by avoiding prolonged contact with visual distracters including computer screens. The researchers also hope to further examine the link between visual problems and the frequency and intensity of migraines.

10th April 2010

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