Recent studies by Dong et al. (2025) have discovered that, among those aged 15-39, over 590 million cases of migraine were reported worldwide. This number of people is enormous when considering that we are only examining a small subset of ages among all the people in the world, and we have limited information with which to prevent them.
If you are a sufferer, it may be vital for you to know as much as possible about the condition to ensure that you can avoid or fight it whenever possible.
Below, we discuss many aspects of a retinal migraine, including:
- Common causes
- Symptoms of migraines
- Warning signs that a migraine might be incoming
- Effective relief
- Pharmaceutical options
- Natural remedies
By the end, you should have a good idea of some of the best supplements that are likely to give you relief both in the short- and long-term.
Decoding a Retinal Migraine
A retinal migraine is not one of the more common forms of migraine discomfort, and instead is one that impacts only one eye at a time. In many cases, it can even cause such a disturbance to the eye as to cause:
- Temporary vision loss
- Blind spots before the headache
- Effects during the migraine itself
Unlike with other migraines, such as a "migraine with aura", which often affects both the eyes, a retinal migraine can cause symptoms only in one eye, often due to spasms triggered in the retina, which affect the eye's blood vessels. These reduce blood flow in the area and can trigger complete vision loss that lasts anywhere from a few minutes to one or more hours.
Most episodes of retinal migraine will abate in around one hour without significant lasting damage. However, it can cause people to mistake other, unexplained changes in the eye for the onset of a migraine or hide more significant problems. As such, if anything except typical migraine symptoms occurs and you suffer from these, ensure that you seek immediate medical attention to rule out retinal detachment or other issues.
How a Retinal Migraine Differs From a Migraine With Aura
While many people may think they are the same thing, a migraine during which people see "auras" is distinctly different from a retinal migraine.
Migraines with an aura trigger visual phenomena that are impossible to ignore and occur across both eyes. These may include:
- Zigzag lines
- Flashing lights
- Blind spots
- Glowing surroundings
Recent studies have even confirmed that it is not necessarily the case that an aura comes from a migraine, but rather that it may be the other way around. The causes of an aura, or the potential effects of seeing the aura itself on the mind, may then trigger the onset of a migraine.
The fact that they impact both eyes simultaneously means that the migraine is not a retinal migraine, as these typically affect only one retina at a time. The reason for this is that, as retinal migraines originate in the eyes themselves, they create visual effects in the eye that is being affected at the time. Similarly, the headache pain that follows tends to be localized behind that specific eye, whereas a migraine with an aura more often has pain that spreads across the whole head.
Top Retinal Migraine Causes and Triggers
Retinal migraines may have many different reasons for their onset. However, not everyone is susceptible to them. There is undoubtedly a genetic predisposition towards them. However, they are also triggered by:
- Hormonal changes
- Vascular restriction
- Environmental factors
- Dietary influences
The above list is not exhaustive, however, and many people may have triggers that others do not.
Hormone Changes Around Menstruation
As estrogen levels start to decline just before menstruation, it is common for such fluctuations to increase the sensitivity of the blood vessel walls in the retina. As such, they are more susceptible to possible harm or danger.
At the same time, progesterone can influence the production of various chemicals in the body, and a lack of nitric oxide, for example, can cause retinal arteries to be more prone to constriction.
Hormonal migraines in women may occur at any time during their cycle, but it is common for them to be noticeable around one or two days before the first day of their period, aligning with the drop in hormones. For some, the use of hormonal birth control can impact this, however, whether it stabilizes or exacerbates the issue can heavily depend on the dosage and the person's metabolism.
Sudden Weather and Pressure Changes
Falling barometric pressure, such as before a storm, can often lead to a lower ambient oxygen level in a person's surroundings. When the body detects this, it may restrict arteries, including those related to the retina, to maintain the body's oxygen supply.
The Association of Migraine Disorders also recently spoke about how barometric pressure was a clear trigger when it came to migraines. However, the reasons for this were inconclusive and largely discussed areas such as the impact on air pressure on the human nervous system and other complex areas of interaction, including the possibility of many different weather patterns impacting migraines, including:
- Temperature
- Wind speed
- Humidity
- Barometric pressure changes
- Altitude
- Thyroid levels
- Sugar levels
- If there's a rainstorm outside
- Whether you use an air conditioner
As such, the complete list of things that could have this effect is astronomically long.
Other Potential Triggers
The complete list of potential causes is extensive enough to make it extremely difficult to pinpoint universal triggers. Migraines can, thus, be incredibly personal in their onset. If you are trying to track down why you are experiencing them, we recommend that you start journaling your:
- Exposure to bright lights
- Time spent around white lights
- Screen time
- Periods under fluorescent lights
- Caffeine intake
- Nitrate intake
- Monosodium glutemate (MSG) use
- Sleep time
- Changes in shift patterns
Retinal Migraine Symptoms to Track
If you find that you sometimes suffer from migraines, it may benefit you to receive a warning so that you can take steps to mitigate them, including using MiGuard supplements to supplement the nutrients your body has access to.
As such, make sure to look out for:
Sparkling Blind Spots or Flickering Vision
Any form of shimmering effect in your view is due to your retinas sending unexpected and erratic signals through your nerves to your brain. They often occur during brief moments of reduced blood flow. These "sparkles" can look like anything from lightning bolts to stars and may often start small and expand outwards in a "burst".
The visual disturbances often last up to thirty minutes, at which point your blood flow is likely to return to normal. If they last much longer, it may be wise to visit a specialist, as it may indicate that your eyes are not getting enough blood over time.
As mentioned above, however, they tend to occur only in one eye during a retinal migraine. As such, document when they happen, including:
- Their duration
- Which eye(s) do they occur in
- Patterns
- Time they start
- Any other information that a doctor may wish to know
A specialist can then provide you with all the information required to manage the issue in the long term.
Headache Onset Within an Hour
Head pain typically begins within one hour of the visual symptoms abating. However, they can often start much sooner. In many cases, they are caused by inflammation, with a pulsating discomfort and one that can be extremely intense within only fifteen minutes of its onset.
At the same time, you may experience other symptoms, some of which may be simply caused by the intensity of the discomfort, including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Raised auditory sensitivity
These can last for a long time, and in some cases, may persist for as long as 72 hours if left untreated. As such, early recognition and mitigation steps can be essential in minimizing the challenges you face during that time.
Immediate Retinal Migraine Relief Tactics
When you are suffering from a retinal migraine, there are some key things you can do to reduce the immediate discomfort. While they will not always completely abate the problem, they will allow your blood vessels to normalize without resorting to pharmaceuticals or other extreme action.
Rest in a Dark Room and Shield Your Eyes
Start by avoiding light. Try not to look directly at any sources of light, including smartphones, for as long as possible, and use a blanket or similar material to prevent accidental light from entering the area. If you have someone who can support you, ask them to warn you before turning on a light or opening a door that may allow light to spill in so you can shield your eyes.
Sitting or lying down in this area can also help prevent sudden shifts in blood pressure in your eyes. Gently tilting your head towards the non-affected side can encourage blood to flow in that direction, easing some of the spasms that may occur in the affected arteries.
Breathing Exercises to Reduce Stress
A retinal migraine is a highly stressful situation to experience, and it can cause issues such as an increased heart rate. Such an increase in metabolism may then cause further problems with the retina's blood vessels and more discomfort, continuing a complex cycle.
As such, if you find yourself stressed or simply wish to try the exercise to see if it helps, start using a simple breathing exercise.
Use a "4-7-8" pattern to start with. This exercise involves breathing in for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and then exhaling for over eight seconds. Repeat this multiple times to lower your heart rate and temporarily build up your body's resistance to retinal spasms.
If you start feeling lightheaded or otherwise uncomfortable, slow down temporarily. Then, consider shallower or slower inhales and exhales.
Medication-Based Retinal Migraine Treatment
Many studies have been conducted on the use of pharmaceutical medicine to prevent the onset of migraines, although not all have been successful. Several, such as those from the Headache Journal, overtly state that more research is needed, indicating that the scientific world still has a lot to learn about the subject in the years to come.
Chemicals such as fremanezumab, a "humanized monoclonal antibody", are used in the fight against migraines. These have seen some success, with studies such as that by Haridas et al (2025) stating that it had the strongest migraine-limiting effects. Yet, other similarly effective pharmaceuticals, such as Eptinezumab, were explicitly described as "safer" by the study in terms of limiting the adverse effects of the drug.
If you find yourself needing to take such pharmaceuticals, combine them with lifestyle changes and other options to achieve the results you need.
Natural Retinal Migraine Solutions
Many natural strategies, including the breathing exercises discussed above, focus on stabilizing the body and balancing various internal chemicals to return to your regular, non-migraine levels without the side effects of pharmaceutical chemicals.
As such, consider dietary supplements like:
- Riboflavin
- Magnesium
- CoQ10
- Apha-lipoic acid
Each of these can target migraine components, such as:
- Boosting the cells' mitochondrial energy supply
- Relaxing the muscles around the body
- Building up your natural defences through increased antioxidant levels
- Anti-inflammatory protection
For example, MiGuard's daily capsule combines various ingredients, such as feverfew and ginger, to support the body's ability to protect itself and mitigate the challenges that migraines bring. The website also includes various pages dedicated to improving your lifestyle practices alongside the intake of MiGuard's natural remedies, helping you to:
- Hydrate better
- Find time to relax
- Get enough sleep
- Improve your nutrition
Combining MyGuard's unique solutions over 12 weeks with adhering to distinct lifestyle improvements is likely to help you achieve a much healthier future, in which migraines occur less frequently and are far less impactful when they do.
Reducing the Challenges of a Retinal Migraine
The above information and advice should provide you with almost everything you need to start managing the difficulties that a regular retinal migraine can bring. Including MiGuard in your preventive plan, alongside other therapies, can do wonders to protect your body from the ravages of such discomfort.
For more information on what we can offer and what MiGuard can do for you, explore our latest bundles. With a combination of nutrients and herbal extracts, you can be sure to find something that enhances your life moving forward.