Migraines associated with retinopathy

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., May 16 (UPI) -- U.S. middle-aged men and women with a history of migraine and headaches are more likely to have retinopathy than those without a history of headaches.

Researchers reviewed the headache history and eye health of 10,902 men and women who participated in the Arteriosclerosis Risk in Communities study in Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi and North Carolina. They were African-American and white and between the ages of 51 and 71.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, found people with headaches were between 1.3 and 1.5 times more likely to have retinopathy than those without headaches.

The study also found 22 percent of participants had a history of migraine or other headaches. Those with a history of headaches were slightly younger, more likely to be female, and more likely to be white than those without a history of headaches, according to study lead author Kathryn M. Rose of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Retinopathy involves damage to the retina of the eye, which can lead to severe vision problems or blindness.