This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
History of migraines linked with increased retinopathy risk
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Middle-aged patients with a history of migraines or other headaches are more likely to develop retinopathy than people without a history of such headaches, according to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina.
Kathryn M. Rose, PhD, research assistant professor of epidemiology at the university's School of Public Health, and colleagues reviewed the headache history and eye health status of 10,902 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Patients ranged in age from 51 to 71 years at the time of examination, according to a press release from the university.
The researchers found that 22% of study participants had a history of migraine or other headaches, and these patients were 1.3 to 1.5 times more likely to have retinopathy. In addition, among participants without diabetes or hypertension, the association was stronger and limited to those who suffered migraines or other headaches with visual disturbances, according to the release.
"Our findings suggest that problems in the circulatory system of small blood vessels may be an underlying factor. This is possible given that anatomically and physiologically small blood vessels in the retina and brain are similar," Dr. Rose said in the release.
"Our findings are also consistent with previous studies linking migraine and retinopathy with the occurrence of stroke," she noted.
The study is published in the May 15 issue of Neurology.