Question: Can raised intraocular pressure be related to headaches or migraine?
Answer:
Full Question:
Relating to migraines, can slightly increased intraocular pressures in any way be related to headaches and/or migraines? Years ago a prominent ophthalmologist told me I had increased eye pressures and we needed to follow them on a regular basis. He didn't know if the slightly increased pressures would rise, were the sign of an eye problem, or if they were my normal baseline intraocular pressure. (This slightly increased intraocular pressure had never been noted during exams with other opticians and ophthalmologists in the past.) I was regularly followed until he decided to annually check, as he concluded my eye pressures had not changed in several years and were apparently my baseline pressures. My neurologist told me there was no connection to my headaches and migraines, but I would love to hear your opinion. Thanks! Hope.
Answer:
Dear Hope;
There is a decent literature on altered IOP in relationship to Migraine, and I imagine an ophthalmologist could pick that up on exam. Whether its a separate problem or related solely to the Migraines is open to speculation. There are recent studies showing a higher than before realized comorbidity of Migraine and glaucoma. It's theorized that in individuals who may have a propensity to glaucoma, increased IOP during Migraine may contribute to the disease developing, but we need more studies.
Good luck,
Teri Robert and John Claude Krusz
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Published April 17, 2006
