Vascular changes with optical coherence tomography angiography during aura of migraine: A case report

• Published in: European journal of ophthalmology Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. NP54 - NP57
• Main Authors: Bingöl Kızıltunç, Pınar, Atilla, Huban
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-03-2021
• Subjects: Adult; Capillaries - diagnostic imaging; Capillaries - physiopathology; Female; Fluorescein Angiography - methods; Humans; Migraine with Aura - diagnostic imaging; Migraine with Aura - physiopathology; Optic Disk - blood supply; Retinal Vessels - diagnostic imaging; Retinal Vessels - physiopathology; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods; Vision Disorders - physiopathology; Visual Fields - physiology; Neuro imaging; anatomy/biochemistry/physiology; retina; neuro ophthalmology; optic neuropathy; optics/refraction/instruments; optic neuritis
• ISSN: 1120-6721; 1724-6016
• DOI: 10.1177/1120672119899900

Purpose:
To demonstrate macular and optic disk vessel changes by optical coherence tomography angiography during and after a migraine attack with aura
Methods:
Case report
Results:
A 34-year-old healthy female patient was evaluated by optical coherence tomography angiography imaging during visual aura with phosphenes in the left visual field. Optical coherence tomography angiography imaging showed diffuse narrowing of the retinal vessels, decreased radial peripapillary capillary density, and decreased superficial and deep foveal vessel density in the right eye. These changes improved 3 hours after visual aura. The patient suffered from right eye pain and right-sided headache, which are typical for migraine, after the visual aura.
Conclusion:
These findings indicate that blood flow during migraine attack is reduced not only in the brain but also in the eye. Eye pain in migraine patients may be due to decreased blood flow in the eye. Restoring the vascular changes 3 hours after the visual aura suggests that vascular changes may be transient during a migraine attack.