Migraine episodes with visual symptoms are called visual, or ocular, migraines. However, more serious causes can also bring on this symptom, such as retinal migraine or a stroke, as the following sections discuss. Most often, migraine causes kaleidoscope vision. Kaleidoscope vision is a type of altered visual aura. People who have altered auras might see things move in waves, or objects might appear to them as abnormally large or small. Instead, it changes the way a person views the world around them. Altered aura: This neither adds nor subtracts from a person’s vision.They may have blind spots, tunnel vision, or total loss of vision in one or both eyes. Negative aura: This occurs when a person experiences partial or total vision loss.This will usually be dark zig-zag lines, dots, or flashing bulbs. Positive aura: This occurs when a person sees something that is not actually there.Visual auras can occur with or without headache pain and can affect one or both eyes.Īuras can also affect a person’s sense of smell, touch, and hearing. In most cases, auras are due to migraine. Auras occur in response to a sudden increase in neuronal activity. Kaleidoscope vision is just one type of aura. This visual symptom can occur in one or both eyes but might affect only a small portion of the visual field. When a person has kaleidoscope vision, their brain creates fractured or brightly colored images similar to those a person might see when they look through a kaleidoscope. Kaleidoscope vision may occur in one or both eyes.

Kaleidoscope meaning