One Ocular Migraine within two years

A

Anon

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I found other Ocular Migraine posts but my single event didn’t fit into the other cases I found time wise which is why I’m writing.

21 months ago I had this vertical stripe of rainbow appear in my vision. No blind spots which was good cause I had to drive myself to my Optometrist. When I got there my vision had already returned to normal, she called the event an Ocular Migraine, and sent me on my way giving me no reason for additional concern, nor meds, or anything.

Back then I was working on ratings so I wasn’t flying without another pilot, and to date its turned out to be a one off event that my regular docs and I carry no health concern over. I hadn’t given it much thought until I started to look at getting a second class medical to find out that I’m poised to have a problem should I go to an AME. I got some advice that I’ll need to submit a neurological evaluation that from what I know about it is pricy. I also got a suggestion to go with BasicMed so I talked to my primary doc, and she was ok with that idea. I wouldn’t be able to get a job flying under BasicMed, but it would buy me time.

I thought about scheduling a consult with my AME but I’ve only seen him once before, so I wanted to ask here first to help set my probable expectations as I try to figure out what to do.

Thanks.
 
Ocular migraines can sometimes be an allergy reaction.
 
murphey said:
Ocular migraines can sometimes be an allergy reaction.
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My best guess is there is a connection to caffeine. When I've consumed heavily for a period of time, going cold turkey gives me a bad headache. In response to that risk, I have cut my caffeine intake but I think that's been since my event happened.

Other than that I was on a farm at the time, and I'd just stood from being crouched close to an operating apple grinder. Did my body react to something in the air there? Did I get some juice in my eye(s)? Did I actually just stand up too fast, and I got scared from something different in my visual response? I don't know.
 
Personally, if I could, i’d Let 3 years go by and let it fall off. FAA is HARD on this one.
Neurologist evaluation, Humphrey visual fields, ophthalmologist’s evaluation, eeg, mri.

AME defers.
2nd and first class, this goes to FAA Neuro external panel. Third class it goes to a single outside consultant. Process is about 140 days.

Annual SI x 3 further years- annual neuro office Evals. FAA decides even if you don’t ever have another. IMO this is overkill, but ocular migraine is akin to epilepsy and RIND/stroke. I do “get” FAA’s point of view.
 
The good news is this does not sound like an ocular migraine to me, the bad news is this doesn't sound like an ocular migraine to me and not sure what you experienced. I agree it might be best to let it go past the 3 yr period unless it occurs again and see a neuro-ophthalmologist for the work up then.
 
bbchien said:
Personally, if I could, i’d Let 3 years go by and let it fall off. FAA is HARD on this one.
Neurologist evaluation, Humphrey visual fields, ophthalmologist’s evaluation, eeg, mri.

AME defers.
2nd and first class, this goes to FAA Neuro external panel. Third class it goes to a single outside consultant. Process is about 140 days.

Annual SI x 3 further years- annual neuro office Evals. FAA decides even if you don’t ever have another. IMO this is overkill, but ocular migraine is akin to epilepsy and RIND/stroke. I do “get” FAA’s point of view.
Click to expand...

I “get” the FAA’s point of view too, in my lay way. I only wish I had a second opinion on what happened to me that day. I also need to explore the caffeine connection.

As for the wait, seeing as I saw my primary care doctor where I mentioned all this to find out if she’d do BasicMed did I reset the three year clock?

No matter what thanks again, I’ve got some ideas to run with.
 
Anon said:
As for the wait, seeing as I saw my primary care doctor where I mentioned all this to find out if she’d do BasicMed did I reset the three year clock?
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To ask a leading question, why would you think that visit and inquiry necessitates reseting the clock?
 
AggieMike88 said:
To ask a leading question, why would you think that visit and inquiry necessitates reseting the clock?
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Because I don't know how serious this is. But if it's serious enough that in just over a year disclosing a conversation with my doctor about the event that will then have occurred greater than three years ago will still warrant scrutiny, that means giving up on the second class.
 
Chaperral said:
The good news is this does not sound like an ocular migraine to me, the bad news is this doesn't sound like an ocular migraine to me and not sure what you experienced. I agree it might be best to let it go past the 3 yr period unless it occurs again and see a neuro-ophthalmologist for the work up then.
Click to expand...
It sounds like migraine with aura, which I know is issuable under the right circumstances. Maybe the OP can fo to a neurologist and get a correct diagnoses.
 
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