Retinal migraine, a contentious clinical entity

Abstract

" Retinal migraine (ophthalmic migraine, ocular migraine, anterior visual pathway migraine) is a rarely encountered medical condition, but with an interesting and complex clinical presentation. The goal of this article is to compile the literature on retinal migraine, detailing nomenclature, pathophysiology, differential diagnosis, and medical investigations including newer imaging modalities, like optical coherence tomography (OCT). We will approach topics of great concern such as risk factors, complications, treatment, and management of this condition. Retinal migraine is mainly a diagnosis of exclusion and it must be isolated from transient monocular vision loss (TMVL) developed from other causes, for instance, papilledema, giant cell arteritis, carotid artery disease (amaurosis fugax), intermittent angle closure glaucoma, and others. Its treatment is similar to migraine treatment; topiramate, amitriptyline, and nortriptyline are some of the pharmacological drugs successfully used."