Reduced Visual Quality of Life Associated with Migraine is Most Closely Correlated with Symptoms of Dry Eye

Abstract

Patients with migraine frequently report ocular or visual symptoms including aura, photophobia, and eye pain. Using validated instruments, our group previously reported that due to these symptoms, patients have marked reductions in visual quality of life. In chronic migraine, these reductions can be as substantial as those reported for other neuro‐ophthalmic diseases such as multiple sclerosis with optic neuritis and idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Because the instruments take several different dimensions into account, we were unable to determine which ocular symptom(s) contributed to reduced visual quality of life. The purpose of this investigation was to attempt to determine which ocular symptom(s) were driving the observed reduction in visual quality of life.