Does anyone else here experience "aura migraine" - the visual disturbance without the

[LastDemocratInSC]

6. I have had aural migraines since 2005.

I instantly recognized it the first time because my sister had described them to me. So, there may be a familial connection.

I get a few per year but in times of great stress they are more numerous and on a few occasions I have had them on successive days and even multiple times on the same day. I have also had them at night, the "light show" being sufficient to wake me up.

They are not well understood, as you mentioned. I think a common consensus is that they are due to vascular spasms in the brain but they are also considered harmless. I'm not sure I can square those two things, however - how can a vascular spasm in the brain be harmless?

There are some indications that they can also arise from vascular spasms in the retina of an eye but in my case I always see the aura in both eyes.

I usually get an indication of onset by not being able to read letters / numbers or an area of blindness on the peripheral vision. That, of course, develops into the expanding shimmering effects. If I'm driving I always get off the road until it all settles down. And, if at home, I usually just take a break because I can't see well enough to do anything.

I have never had the other physical effects, such as pain, that can accompany it.