Perceptive aspects of visual aura

Abstract

Visual aura is the most common feature associated with migraine, though it can occur separately. In both cases it often represents a dramatic event, especially for patients who experience it for the first time. Besides, its subjective characteristics may illuminate on the functional architecture of the visual cortex. Repetitive events of migraine and visual aura have been suggested to affect the visual system in the long run, both on the cortical and precortical level. In effect, objective investigation of visual functions in patients support the idea that a selective damage does occur, so that more attention to visual examination seems to be justified. In this paper, subjective and psychophysical aspects of visual aura are examined, lastly highlighting and discussing the interesting correlations found between this condition and normal-tension glaucoma.