Reviewed By Dr. Jodi Kuhn
Reading time: 4 minutes
If you or your child experiences migraine headaches and sometimes sees little “spots,” “squiggles,” or flashes of light in your vision, you might wonder if the two are connected. In this blog, you will learn why migraines and floaters sometimes happen together, what they can mean for eye health, and when to schedule an eye exam.
We provide eye care for children and adults at our locations in Denver, Aurora, Hampden and Thornton. We accept Medicaid!
Table of Contents
Key Takeaway
Migraines and eye floaters can sometimes appear together, but floaters may also signal an eye problem such as retinal tears or posterior vitreous detachment. If you are experiencing visual disturbances along with migraine headaches, schedule an eye exam at Youth Vision to ensure your eyes are healthy and your vision is protected.
Understanding Eye Floaters
Floaters look like gray or black specks, lines, or cobwebs that seem to drift across your visual field. These spots move when the eyes move and may dart away when you try to look at them directly.
Floaters happen because of tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the clear gel-like part of the eye called the vitreous humor. When light enters the eye, these clumps cast shadows on the retina, which appear as floaters.
Floaters: What’s Normal and What’s Not
Occasional floaters can be harmless and quite common, especially as you age. However, if you suddenly have a lot of floaters, new floaters, or floaters combined with flashing lights, it can be a sign of something more serious, such as:
- Retinal tears or detachment
- Inflammation in the eye (uveitis)
- Eye injury or trauma
- Eye infection
- Posterior vitreous detachment
Overview of Migraines
Migraines are intense headaches that often come with other symptoms such as nausea, light sensitivity, and visual disturbances. For many people, visual symptoms happen before the headache starts, this is called a visual aura or migraine with aura.
Visual aura symptoms can cause temporary changes such as:
- Flashes of light
- Zigzag patterns
- Blind spots
- Flickering vision
- Distorted or altered visual symptoms
Some people also experience ocular migraines or retinal migraines, which cause temporary visual impairment in one eye.
Are Migraines and Floaters Connected?
Migraines do not cause floaters, but visual changes during a migraine can sometimes make you more aware of floaters that were already there. Migraine auras—such as flickering lights, zigzag lines, or blind spots—may also be mistaken for floaters.
In some rare cases, ocular migraines (which affect one eye) can cause visual symptoms that resemble floaters. However, true floaters come from physical changes in the eye’s vitreous gel, not from migraines themselves.
If you regularly have migraines with visual disturbances and notice new or increasing floaters, it is important to get an eye exam to rule out other conditions like retinal tears or posterior vitreous detachment.
When to See An Eye Doctor
Floaters are common and often harmless, but certain symptoms can signal a more serious eye problem. Contact your eye doctor right away if you notice:
- A sudden increase in floaters
- Flashes of light
- A dark shadow or curtain across your vision
- Eye pain
- Vision loss
These may be signs of a retinal tear, detachment, or another eye emergency that requires immediate care.
Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam Today
At Youth Vision we welcome patients of all ages for routine and advanced eye care. Our team provides expert eye exams, prescriptions for glasses and contacts, and care for common eye conditions.
Schedule an eye exam at one of our convenient locations:
- Denver Youth Vision, located at 1400 Grove Street, Denver, CO 80204, 303-825-2295
- Aurora Youth Vision, located at 14251 E. 6th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80011, 303-343-3133
- Thornton Youth Vision, located at 9674 Washington Street, Thornton, CO 80229, 303-953-880
- Hampden Youth Vision, located at 7400 East Hampden Ave. Unit C1, Denver, CO 80231, 720-866-9906
