I've suffered from migraines since I was a child, and have usually experienced what I call "falling rain".  It's like shiny drops that fall gently down.  About an hour later, the migraine hits hard, usually on the right side of my head.  When it's on the left side, it's much more painful.  They've decreased since I hit menopause, thank god! (I used to get them almost every month) 

About two weeks ago, I woke up completely unable to see.  There wasn't blackness, there was an intense bright white light, and that's ALL I could see.  I waited about 15 minutes, trying to control my panic.  I finally, very slowly, started getting my vision back.  My left eye slowly grew a hole in the whiteness, very blurry around the edges, but it continued to grow.  About halfway through, my right eye started to clear.  I called my FP right away, and left a message with the nurse.  I had an appointment the next day, anyway, so I was told to just come on in then, and talk to the doctor about it. 

I woke up the next morning afraid to open my eyes, but it was fine, and I haven't experienced it again.  When I went to my doctor, he looked perplexed, then asked if I'd had a headache afterwords.  I said yes, not a migraine, just a regular headache.  He looked relieved and told me that I'd had an occular migraine.  Everything I've read since has failed to mention total blindness, just the regular aura.

I live in Wyoming, in a tiny town, miles from any other town!  We have visiting specialists once a month, but no neurologist.  The last time I traveled to him, he told me that my balance problems (I keep on falling) were the result of TIAs.  Then he walked out of the room.  An hour of driving for a 5 minute appointment. 

 I can't drive anymore, due to periods of confusion, where I might wreck the car.  I am 52 years old, with hypoparathyroid as my main diagnosis.  I also have fibromyalgia, COPD (I have quit smoking, as of Febuary of this year), I have several "patches" in my brain, which haven't been explained, other than the TIA diagnosis.  I was briefly checked for MS, with a negative result.

With all the problems in my brain, that whiteness scares me.  My doctors initial perplexity, then seeming to grab at my (non-migraine) headache to give me a diagnosis of occullar migraine worries me.  He's a wonderful doctor, very caring, but I still worry.  Can you tell me if this truly IS an occular migraine symptom?  As I said, I can't find it anywhere.

Thank you,

jaz