Ocular migraine and antiphospholipid antibodies--where we stand?

There is no doubt that ocular migraine also known as retinal migraine or ophthalmic migraine should not to be confused with ophthalmoplegic migraine. The hallmark of ocular migraine is the unilateral visual loss or "monocular transient loss of vision" associated or followed by the headache. Better safe than sorry, therefore an ophthalmologic examination during the migraine attack is the most diagnostic method. age with typical history for ocular migraine. Importantly supportive data sustain that different neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations as amaurosis fugax, retinal vascular thrombosis and optic neuropathy, may be considered as the ocular hallmarks of the Hughes's syndrome. Clues for the evaluating of antiphospholipid antibodies include recurrent thrombosis especially in young people, recurrent fetal loss, and thrombocytopenia. There are no studies that focus exclusively on the prophylaxis of ocular migraine. Ocular features due to antiphospholipid antibodies - induced thrombosis or Hughes's syndrome should be treated with anticoagulant therapy.

Antiphospholipid antibodies in ocular arterial and venous occlusive disease.

PURPOSE: It was the aim of this study to evaluate antiphospholipid antibodies (APA), i.e. lupus anticoagulants (LA) and anticardiolipin (ACA) IgG and IgM, in ophthalmic occlusive disease. METHODS: Over a 3.5-year period, APA were evaluated in 368 patients. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients (23.4%), compared to 5% in the general population, tested positive for APA. APA did not differ significantly between patients with venous (20.6%) or arterial (25.5%) occlusive disease. This included 93 patients with central retinal vein occlusion (18% APA positive), 67 with retinal branch vein occlusion (24% APA positive), 41 with central retinal artery occlusion (22% APA positive), 53 with retinal branch artery occlusion (32% APA positive), 71 with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (23% APA positive), 12 with posterior ischemic optic neuropathy (33% APA positive) and 31 patients with amaurosis fugax (23% APA positive). Excluding patients with accepted main risk factors, APA were positive in 15.3% of 85 patients. CONCLUSION: The high APA prevalence confirms its relevance in ocular occlusive disorders.

[Amaurosis fugax: case report]. / Amaurosis fugax? Opis przypadku.

We describe the case of 27-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) IgG isotype in high titre in the plasma, who reported sudden loss of vision in both eyes. We established diagnosis of acute optic neuropathy probably associated with aCL and SLE flare. Treatment with anticoagulation, high dose steroids and intravenous cyclophosphamide was followed by improvement of the visual function.