If you experience any of the above symptoms with a migraine, seek medical attention to rule out more serious conditions, like retinal tearing or stroke. Other forms of altered aura include misperceiving the size of an object (seeing it as larger or smaller than it really is), distorted distance perception, and distorted or absence of color. Kaleidoscope vision is considered an altered aura. For example, one may perceive a straight line as wavy or blurred.

This type of aura distorts what you see without adding or subtracting anything. With negative auras, one may experience blind spots, loss of peripheral vision, or a brief period of total vision loss. This is characterized by any loss of vision during a migraine, whether partial or total. A visual hallucination is also considered a positive aura. These perceived shapes may be colorful and move around the visual field or grow larger. For example, a person experiencing a positive aura may see zig-zag or squiggly lines, flashes, stars, or dots. This is when a person sees something that isnвЂ™t actually there. Understanding the other types of visual disturbances that may accompany a migraine can provide more clarity. Kaleidoscope vision is a component of only one type of visual aura. Other forms of auras include tingling in the hands or face, muscle weakness, and difficulty speaking. About 20% of people who suffer from migraines experience some type of aura, also known as a sensory disturbance. The most common cause of kaleidoscope vision is an ocular migraine, which is a migraine accompanied by visual symptoms. In many cases, visual auras precede headaches and migraines.Д®pisodes of kaleidoscope vision usually last between 10-30 minutes, but can persist up to an hour. Visual symptoms like kaleidoscope vision can affect one or both eyes and can occur with or without a headache. A person experiencing kaleidoscope vision may perceive their visual field to be fractured, vividly colored, or scrambled - similar to looking through a kaleidoscope. Kaleidoscope vision is not a stand-alone condition, but rather a visual symptom of migraines or conditions like a stroke or brain injury.

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Potential triggers include certain MSG-containing foods, harsh light, stress and changes in weather. Genetics play a role in who experiences migraines, and theyвЂ™re also more common in women. TheyвЂ™re thought to originate in a similar way as migraine headaches, by irregular electrical activity in the brain. Migraine sufferers might recognize these strange vision symptoms and know them as aura, a phenomena that sometimes serves as a warning sign that pain is on the way.Д«ut in the case of an ocular migraine, thereвЂ™s no headache that follows, and the vision symptoms usually resolve themselves within 20 to 30 minutes, says headache specialist Emad Estemalik, MD. Rather, itвЂ™s characterized by a variety of vision disturbances that can appear in one or both eyes, such as seeing spots, zig-zags, flashes of light or double vision, or even experiencing a temporary loss of vision.

ItвЂ™s called an ocular or ophthalmic migraine, and itвЂ™s a form of silent migraine вЂ“ silent in the sense that it isnвЂ™t accompanied by pain. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.

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Kaleidoscope vision no headache