What a Migraine Aura looks like

This is a simulation of what a migraine aura, or "scintillating scotoma" looks like. I've reduced the gradual 30 minute timeframe down to 30 seconds. It happened to me for the first time last night, starting with central blurred shapes, blind spots, and bright lights, then radiating out to the right in an almost perfect semicircle of vibrating zigzag colors. The shape got further and further into my periphery until it finally disappeared.

I was quite alarmed at first not knowing what was happening- I thought I was possibly going blind or having a stroke, but my wife and webmd helped deduce what it was- a "silent migraine", which is painless but still produces an aura. I had no idea this kind of thing happened.

I hope this animation helps put a visual to this unusual and semi-rare phenomenon.

[Brennamae]

youtube can tell me more about my migraine than my doctor

[cattitude]

Thanks for this video. This is exactly what mine looks like. Now I can show my family who can't relate to what I'm trying to describe because they have never had it.

[Pepe-mpld]

It's crazy, this is almost exactly what I see when I have migraines!

[anonymous]

I have them, they really do suck. It makes me feel sick and dizzy, and it normally ends up covering one eye, it alternates, starting small and growing bigger, looks like a big blurred area with a almost static effect of a tv over wriggling zig zag lines. It's good to know I'm not the only one who this happens to.

[Prkchps-N-Aplsaws]

Just had one of these for the first time tonight - had no idea this ever existed. I am quite impressed you were able to replicate what mine looked like almost exactly.

[blehman]

Kyle - AWESOME simulation!! I have suffered from this for almost 20 years.. Waves in the vision, the 'light show like a Rubick's snake going in circles', and other patterns, especially if you close your eyes.. No headache whatsoever, and the episode lasts about 20-25 minutes.. Though I usually DO feel completely exhausted after each episode.. My family doctor back in the day said that it is not harmful or deadly.. He said the 'nickname' for this condition was "Shift Worker's Syndrome", as it affected lots of folks who work off shifts.. He said the thinking at the time was that people who work nights like I do are stressing their bodies because humans are basically evolved to be 'daylight creatures', and forcing your body to disobey the 'circadium rythym' can cause episodes like this.. My doctor also had the opinion that humans - with their focus on television screens and computer monitors and cell phones for many hours each day could also be a cause.. Of course, there are many other triggers - bright lights, smoking, alcohol, stress, and the list goes on!!! Anyway, THANK YOU again for posting the video!! It gave me a chance to finally show my friends and family what these episodes actually look like!!

[ArbJunkAgeG]

Most accurate depiction ive seen so far...
Although mine happened moving left side of the visual field.

[Tommy]

My auras were way more intense, starting with a hole in my central vision followed by squiggly lines that looked like electricity. Then the dancing rainbows. It would last about 15 minutes and often accompanied by confusion and disorientation. That is until I found LENS. No headaches for 29 months. Find a practitioner. I'm in Seacoast and practice LENS. You'll never know unless you try it.

[ThomasBaxter]

I just experienced this for the first time today, and this is a really good representation. Still a little taken aback by the experience - never even heard the term before today - and this helps contextualize the experience

[melospace]

Thank you. It does help. And today was the first day I knew other people had this. I've been having them for 12 years. Your description is pretty accurate, but I see it bulkier. It usually lasts 20 minutes. The first time was a bit scared, but now I love it. I have no pains and on the contrary of many people, it feels like loving energy involving my whole body. Although I can't see much I truly enjoy all the colours and the feeling it gives me.

[StoutShako]

Doing research for a story. Thank you so much for doing this and my deepest apologies to everyone who has to go through this horrible sensation regularly!

[alfredplays]

I have about 4 migraines per month. And the migraine it self isnt the worst thing. In my opinion the worst thing is when you're for example on a date or something like that the constant fear that a migraine can ruin everything

[rickbella]

The first one I experienced started with a jangly spot in the middle of my vision before breaking into two arcs, left and right. The arcs then slowly moved their way out of view and disappeared. The second episode was much smaller, with just one, much fainter arc. Your video is a good depiction of the experience.

[Plus]

i am having this exact same thing right now and i was having a panic attack thinking that i was going blind or something lol

[MrShep]

I have had these for years. If I do nothing, they can last from 20 to 30 minutes but I have learned that If I take 2 ibuprofen gel caps, they can go away in a few minutes. This simulation is probably one of the closest videos I have come across that shows what I see during my ocular migraines.

[claudinehellmuth]

I have many migraines a month but never one with aura. I just had my first aura and I thought I was going blind because I didn’t know what was happening. Mine looked exactly like yours but black and white. Thank you for posting this.

[danilmarinaio]

The best simulation I've seen of what I see when I have it. Thank you

[genocideoffsprng]

I experienced this 3 days in a row followed by a raging headache just this week. I'm hoping that's the end of it because it was horrible. Thanks for making this. I was having so much trouble explaining the experience.

[jenniferkelman]

OMG. This is EXACTLY what mine looked like. I've had migraines since I was in my teens (I'm 53 now). Yesterday was the first time I had an aura associated with them. Didn't have an actual migraine until the next morning. Thank you so much for your video!!

[Garakh]

Thanks dude! My wife has migraine head aches, but never had one with aura before. When we saw this she burst out saying: "EXACTLY like this!". Awesome work, mate <3