Headache with vision changes

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Headache with vision changes

The first symptom of a serious nervous system problem often is a headache with a change in how or what we see.

• Double vision (diplopia), blurred vision, and the appearance of blind spots (scotomas) can be symptoms of migraine headaches and multiple sclerosis and also can occur after head injuries.
• Double vision is common in brain tumors that involve the brain stem.
• Sudden, partial, or total loss of vision can be a symptom of a loss of blood supply to the area of the brain that controls vision. It also can be a sign of a sudden blockage in the blood vessel that supplies blood to the eye.
• Visual changes are one of many possible symptoms of a stroke.
• Temporary loss of vision also can be a symptom of a transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Unless you have a history of migraine headaches that include loss of vision, a headache with loss of vision in one or both eyes is a medical emergency. Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.

Credits

Last updated:	July 12, 2006
Author:	Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer