How to describe a scintillating scotoma? It’s one of the most common symptoms of a migraine, but unless you’ve had one, it sounds unreal. A scintillating scotoma is like a barbed ripple in the pool of sight. It’s a skeletal Magic Eye raised up from the flatness of the world. It’s a glare on the tarmac as you drive West at sunset on a rain-slick freeway—only when you turn your head, it’s still there, so you have to pull over, close your eyes, and wait out the slow-motion firework working its way across your brain.
I relate to Hubert Airy's 1870 illustration, my own scintillating scotoma look very similar. Bolts of lightning, block parts of my vision, usually happens after high concentration or stress. Fascinating article, thank you for the insight.
Despite them being disturbing while they happen, I have at times been fascinated by the patterns of migraine auras. Similarly, as a kid, I would (maybe too often) press against my eyes to produce spiralling checkerboard phosphene patterns. It was seeing a glimpse of a world within, delicate but complexly lacing its way across my regular sight.
Definitely weird the first time you have one. I thought I was having a stroke. I've gotten to where I ignore them. It seems like they go away quicker. I feel like sometimes I can cause them if I glance at something shiny out of the corner of my eye
You might enjoy Kustaa Saksi's recent work - he embroids his migraines in jacquard tapestries and the results are stunning: https://kustaasaksi.com/First-Symptoms. His work also includes clever and interesting uses of AI.
The exhibition In the Borderlands was in Design Museum in Helsinki, but hopefully will travel far!
I had this about a year ago and had never heard of it. Thanks for the post and Sacks reference!
I relate to Hubert Airy's 1870 illustration, my own scintillating scotoma look very similar. Bolts of lightning, block parts of my vision, usually happens after high concentration or stress. Fascinating article, thank you for the insight.
Despite them being disturbing while they happen, I have at times been fascinated by the patterns of migraine auras. Similarly, as a kid, I would (maybe too often) press against my eyes to produce spiralling checkerboard phosphene patterns. It was seeing a glimpse of a world within, delicate but complexly lacing its way across my regular sight.
Definitely weird the first time you have one. I thought I was having a stroke. I've gotten to where I ignore them. It seems like they go away quicker. I feel like sometimes I can cause them if I glance at something shiny out of the corner of my eye
You might enjoy Kustaa Saksi's recent work - he embroids his migraines in jacquard tapestries and the results are stunning: https://kustaasaksi.com/First-Symptoms. His work also includes clever and interesting uses of AI.
The exhibition In the Borderlands was in Design Museum in Helsinki, but hopefully will travel far!