Hi guys. I’m male, 67 and just had an aortic valve (tissue) replacement/dual bypass about 10 days ago. It’s going pretty well, a bit of expected sternum / leg pain, but just completed my first 20 min walk without getting too out if breath. Excercise is definitely good for breathing.
What’s really freaking me out though, is that once or twice a day a geometric black and white striped, jagged edge disc shape image appears in my line of sight. It starts small and then expands and after about 15-20 minutes it totally dissipates. It’s kind of overlaid to my field of vision, so I don’t lose any imagery
I’ve read that hallucinatory images are often seen by many who have had valve replacement, but has anybody else actually experienced this?
Written by
7LTR
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Might be worth getting an eye exam, but it almost certainly sounds like migraine, and possibly something to do with the medication you've been placed on. It may be worth checking the patient information leaflets to see if it a listed side effect.
I used to have similar - a jagged, coloured aura which would disappear after about half an hour before mild pain came on. The only time I have had it in the last few years is twice straight after an angiogram.
I had weird eye disturbances for about 8 weeks on and off after my triple bypass surgery. It slowly got better. I think its a well known sympton after heart surgery. Haven't a clue what causes it but might be worth checking with your GP or Optician if you're worried. All the best with your recovery.
I get the same issue with my eyes, black and white . In my case it is diagnosed ocular migraine. Image starts small then gradually expands and after 20 minutes it's gone. No headache. No obvious triggers. I used to get very occasionally prior to my triple bypass pass last Feb. Now get at least twice a month.
I’ve had ocular migraine exactly as you describe for many years. It varies in frequency but generally a cluster of 2 or 3 over a few days then a gap of several weeks.
Have been told by GPs and opticians that this is nothing to worry about. I can’t say that the pattern has altered significantly since my operation, so I’ve just learned to live with it.
I”m not sure if it’s for the same reason, but migraine with aura is a common experience after left atrial catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. In that case it is thought to be due to puncturing the septum between the atria during the procedure.
There is guidance about it in the helpsheets on the AF association website. I was happy not to get it!
I had AVR back in January and have suffered these visual disturbances since then. Eye consultant has diagnosed migraine aura without pain and hopefully they will stop in time (still waiting!)
About 20 years ago I started to experience similar symptoms -often beginning with a short episode of blurred vision followed by a slowing expanding circle with multicoloured zigzag edges. Once beyond my field of view these ‘flashing lights’ would turn to a headache sometimes accompanied with sickness and fatigue that would last for several days (migraine with aura). However since having OH surgery I now experience the visual disturbances without any other accompanying symptoms (aura without migraine/ ocular migraine) often lasting about 20-30 minutes at a time and is exacerbated by tiredness or over exertion.
It’s not a pleasant experience and can be very scary especially when it happens for the first time or if it takes a long time for the aura to disappear.
As others have suggested it is worth checking out any possible side effects from medication, speaking to a doctor as it is something new and visiting an optician as a precaution and to get some reassurance.
Definitely sounds like migraine aura. I've had them for over 40 years and they actually stopped for a couple of months post AVR. I thought/hoped I was rid of them, but they returned and I get them about twice a week. Not pleasant and always leave me feeling a bit unwell.I hope that yours are a temporary blip after surgery though.
Same here. As I understand its caused by being on the heart lung bypass machine and can last weeks or months. In my case I'm 17mts post opp and still get them occasionally.
I get a very similar exprience. I've tracked the cause to dehydration. I started to get it when I was out on the hills all day (not necessarily in hot weather) and I realised that I had neglected to keep drinking fluids. Now I try to drink plenty at all times, but still occasionally get caught out. 😯
Migraine aura, I have had it before my surgery when concentrating too long on the computer. Not had it since but it is common in both heart patients and perfectly healthy folk. An eye test would be a good idea.
In fact I feel my eyesight has changed since my operation and now things have settled after 6 months I’m having a check up anyway.
Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. Really is something I didn’t expect. I’m going to experiment with dropping some of my new meds today and see if that makes any difference.
nobody expects this so you are not alone - there was another post about visual migraine/ocular migraine here recently ( a search in the group will find it along with others which may have appeared) - i have also had this since a heart event 9 yrs ago
you could check it out at your local optitians - but if you are really concerned, and you can't get a doctor to advise, you could try 111 for reassurance or the BHF phone helpline during office hours
i don't think you should alter your prescribed meds without your prescribing doctor's approval or knowledge
Your images seem surprisingly regular. After a valve replacement (Tavi) I frequently experienced dimming of part of my visual field, mainly in the left field of the Left eye (significant becaus this suggests possible R hemisphere involvement. I was able to check that there is no (obvious) retinal damage in either eye. As you will see from the amount of corespondence your complaint has attracted this seems to be a common (if not satisfactorily explained) problem but not ominous. So take heart !
I have started to experience aural migraine at the age of 12, had it all my life. No headaches.
It is like you describe, geometric patterns mainly monochrome. Starts on the side of my vision, very tiny, then gradually spreads across my vision....it's there when my eyes are closed too.
Lasts about 15-20 mins.
I have read or heard once it has to do with the heart...I always thought I have a healthy heart .
How wrong I was!
In my late 50s I was diagnosed with congenital bi-cuspid aortic valve. Had AVR 3 years ago age 70.
After my OH surgery my migraines stopped!!!😯🤣
I do have them very rarely these days oppose to on regular basis once monthly during my entire adult life prior to heart op. Strange ...🤯🤔
I've had exactly what you describe, diagnosed for me as 'visual-only migraine' i.e. it's a migraine, but with zero pain. I was told it was due to slightly impaired blood-flow to the brain. Absolutely no cause for concern in my case, though scary pre-diagnosis. I've heard others suggest a possible link between this and dehydration, so maybe try keeping yourself well hydrated as a start. Of course, we're all different, so a check with the doc is essential. In the meantime though, I hope this and other comments basically saying the same thing are of some comfort.
Hi....I had two valve repairs 16months ago. About four days after my op it was as though a blind slowly lowered over my eyes until I couldn't see. I absolutely panicked....obviously got checked out....nothing found. Since my op it seems every few weeks I get the same but only in one eye now....it's like a roller blind...that's the only way I can describe it....kind of hazy but now only covers half the eye for about 30 seconds. I've had scans on my eyes since my OHS because of cataract surgery and have been to see optician and nothing has shown up so I am assuming mine also is some sort of ocular migraine. X
I get occasional zig zag images in my eyes, which may last about 10 minutes. These predate my valve surgery. When mentioning it to the optician, I was advised it was likely visual migraine. I never have a headache afterwards and it seems to pass with no other effects. Being particularly tired or stressed may be a trigger in my case. I sit quietly for a period and make sure I'm not looking at a screen until it passes. I would suggest discussing with your GP/optician. I don't think stopping some of your medications is a good idea - you will have been put on them for a reason, and don't want to cause other problems! Wishing you all the best.
Yes yes yes im 3 wks into recovery and had awful visual probs every day these aural beings similar to my migraines with some loss of vision or fuzzy vision then worst ond night back in AE 10 hrs waiting no sleep at all was getting hallucinations of flowers growing all over the trolleys walls equipment the weirdest night ever, a few nights of better sleep suddenly it all passed off just v occasion aura when very tiredBybass brain they called it
I had a similar experience after my ablation 3 weeks ago. First time was the same day and I thought I had been staring at the lights too long. The second time was a few days later at home when I got the zigzag lines that got bigger then faded after 15-20 mins. Not had any since. Apparently it happens frequently and is an aura migraine - no headache with mine.
There’s some thinking that it’s a result of the small hole made in the septum(?) between the right and left atria.
I had a different, but equally disconcerting visual disturbance in the days post triple bypass and ablation. Not easy to describe, but say a person walked across my field of vision, their image remained on my retina and in my brain for a couple of seconds afterwards, so they looked as though they left a trail of themselves behind them as they walked. Almost like a ghost. I recall seeing a similar cinematography effect on old movies years ago, but I can't find an example or a term for it. It was very, very weird.
It could have been the result of the morphine, or even "pump head". It did not persist beyond about 10 days. Thank goodness!
My husband has episodes of this visual disturbance. He had an aortic valve replacement by TAVI in 2018. Never really made the connection with this but looking back he never suffered from this before this procedure.
As you guys know, for 17 days after my Aortic Valve Replacement, since then I’ve been seeing black/white geometric images called visual migraines, that have been disturbing and upsetting my recovery. Prior to the op I’d never seen these and there’s no headache element..
By chance I went to my GP on another matter and he noticed that my pulse/heartbeat was running at an incredibly low 34 BPM, where normal is 60-100. I called my surgeon and he told me to immediately come of my Biprosolol Beta Blockers which I have been on for ten years and are designed to reduce heartbeat rate.
Since dropping them my heartbeat is now at a healthy 72-80 BPM. But the amazing spin off is that the visual migraine images have completely disappeared. I know it’s only day six of the improvement, but it seems irrevocable that for me at least, low heartbeat and Visual disturbance were related.
I hope this might help someone else. If you have a home blood pressure monitor, that normally shows heartbeat rate.
Thanks for that news. since mine my heartbeat has been in the low 50s so maybe that is the problem. U have had those same visual disturbances since my TAVR at the beginning of February.
I just had a TAVR done on the 2nd of February. Years ago I used to get those flashes before migraines from a head injury. The migraines disappeared but the flashes came around a couple of times a year. Since the TAVR I have had them frequently, often several times a day, also sometimes in tear drop form as well as more like lines. I have found that earing the glasses I bought for cutting glare while driving and blocking blue light on my computer has made it less frequent. The lines were multicolored before but now tend to be mostly black and white with some yellow . Not sure what is going on, no pain but it is annoying.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
aortic valve replacement 
Aortic valve replacement. 
Encourage to those contemplating valve replacement 
Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement
Mitral valve replacement 
