Other causes of persisting perception disorder than migraine

Jerri Magni and Rick London, I keep having these flashbacks, 2000. © 2000 Londons Times Cartoons (see here)

Of course, there may be other causes of "visual snow" or other chronic visual disturbances than migraine. The current ICHD-II criteria of persistent aura without infarction require that persisting visual symptoms must "Not [be] attributed to another disorder" (see here), so that thorough taking of the history, ophthalmologic, neurological and psychiatric examinations as well as MRI investigation (to exclude migrainous infarction or leukoencephalopathy among other things, see here) are mandatory in the diagnostic workup of all patients presenting with the complaint of such chronic visual disturbances. Contrary to many patients' expectations, a subtle history taking (rather than the administration of laboratory or other medical tests) is the medical investigation of greatest importance to discern the major differential diagnoses in diagnostic-work up. Beyond sufferers from persistent aura without infarction, the participants in Sofia Greene's internet survey included subjects with a variety of categories of diagnoses, as shown on the webpages provided by the links at the left margin.

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