Subtle binocular vision anomalies in migraine

Abstract

A literature review reveals old references to an association between migraine headache and binocular vision anomalies, but a lack of scientific evidence evaluating these claims. In a masked case control study, we investigated binocular vision using standard clinical tests in people with migraine and in controls. Some test results suggest that heterophoria and fixation disparity are more common in the migraine group. The migraine group also had slightly reduced stereopsis. We found significant correlations between some migraine variables and some binocular vision variables (e.g., duration of worst headache and impaired stereopsis) but our analyses do not suggest that a causal relationship is likely. In conclusion, people with migraine have on average a slightly higher prevalence of heterophoria and aligning prism, and reduced stereopsis compared with controls. However, the differences are subtle and our data do not support the use of binocular vision interventions prescribed solely on the basis of the presence of migraine.