Eye strain and migraine: what to know

Migraine can cause headache, light sensitivity, nausea, visual changes, dizziness, or facial pressure. Screens, glare, flicker, missed meals, poor sleep, stress, and prolonged close focusing may be triggers for some people. A migraine may feel as though it is behind or around the eyes, even when the eyes themselves are healthy. Vertigo or spinning can occur with some migraine patterns. Keeping a symptom diary can show whether visual tasks reliably precede an episode and whether other symptoms travel with it.

At the first sign of discomfort, move away from glare, lower screen brightness, rest in a quiet space, drink water, and follow your clinician’s plan for prescribed or recommended treatment. Take screen breaks and keep sleep and meals as regular as possible. Avoid driving if vision is disturbed, dizziness is prominent, or the room feels unstable. A clinician can help distinguish migraine from an eye problem and review medicines if attacks are frequent or disruptive.

Get urgent medical help for a sudden, explosive headache, new weakness or numbness, trouble speaking, fainting, confusion, persistent vomiting, fever with neck stiffness, or sudden loss of vision. Seek prompt assessment for a first severe episode, a major change in your usual pattern, or symptoms after a head injury.

Do my symptoms fit migraine, an eye condition, or both? Which triggers should I track? What treatment should I use at the earliest warning sign?