Neuro-Ophthalmic Symptoms of Primary Headache Disorders: Why the Patient With Headache May Present to Neuro-Ophthalmology

Update Item Information
Title Neuro-Ophthalmic Symptoms of Primary Headache Disorders: Why the Patient With Headache May Present to Neuro-Ophthalmology
Creator Stacy V. Smith, MD
Affiliation Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, Texas; and Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
Abstract Background: Primary headache disorders can cause many ophthalmic symptoms that lead many patients to present for neuro-ophthalmic evaluation. Neuro-ophthalmologists frequently encounter these patients in clinical practice. Evidence acquisition: A literature review was completed in PubMed using the following terms paired with 'migraine' and 'headache:' dry eye, eye pain, monocular diplopia, binocular diplopia, photophobia, visual field defect, tunnel vision, floaters, amaurosis fugax, transient visual obscuration, autonomic symptoms, anisocoria, visual snow, Alice in Wonderland syndrome, and palinopsia. Results: Patients with migraine experience a wide range of visual disturbances including aura and more complex perceptual abnormalities such as Alice in Wonderland syndrome and visual snow. Visual disturbances may consist of positive and/or negative phenomena and may be binocular or monocular. Migraine and other primary headache disorders can be associated with photophobia, eye pain, dry eye, autonomic features, and anisocoria. Conclusions: Patients with primary headache disorders may experience a wide range of visual and ophthalmic symptoms. An understanding of the typical features of these disorders allows providers to help patients find appropriate treatment without unnecessary testing and to recognize when atypical presentations require additional evaluation.
Subject Eye Diseases / diagnosis; Eye Diseases / etiology; Headache Disorders, Primary / complications; Headache Disorders, Primary / diagnosis; Humans; International Classification of Diseases; Migraine Disorders / complications; Migraine Disorders / diagnosis; Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis; Nervous System Diseases / etiology; Neurology; Ophthalmology; Visual Field Tests
OCR Text Show
Date 2019-06
Language eng
Format application/pdf
Type Text
Publication Type Journal Article
Source Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology, June 2019, Volume 39, Issue 2
Collection Neuro-Ophthalmology Virtual Education Library: Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology Archives: https://novel.utah.edu/jno/
Publisher Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
Holding Institution Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
Rights Management © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
ARK ark:/87278/s6p902d1
Setname ehsl_novel_jno
ID 1595799
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6p902d1
Back to Search Results