Living with migraines is often about more than just a recurring headache. New evidence suggests that the condition might be linked to specific issues with the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The most consistent finding is an increased risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in people who suffer from migraines.
While researchers found that migraine patients reported more cases of photophobia and retinal artery occlusion than others, some findings are still unclear. For example, retinal migraine is currently too rare and poorly understood to draw firm conclusions about why it happens. The study also noted that while certain changes in the nerve fiber layer were seen more often in migraine patients, we do not yet know if these changes actually cause the headaches.
It is important to remember that these links are still being explored. Scientists have not yet proven a direct cause-and-effect relationship for many of these eye findings, and they are still looking for the exact biological reasons why migraines and certain eye conditions might share common pathways.
