Double-masked placebo-controlled trial of precision spectral filters in children who use coloured overlays

Certain patterns of stripes are judged to be unpleasant to look at. They induce illusions of colour, shape and motion that are sometimes perceived predominantly to one side of fixation. People who suffer frequent headaches tend to report more illusions, and if the pain consistently occurs on the same side of the head the illusions tend to be lateralized. The parameters of the patterns that induce illusions (including their shape, spatial frequency, duty cycle, contrast and cortical representation) closely resemble those that elicit epileptiform electroencephalographic abnormalities in patients with photosensitive epilepsy. The viewing conditions under which such abnormalities are likely to appear are also those under which more illusions are seen.

We investigated stripe-induced visual discomfort and its relation to migraine. Some people find viewing striped patterns aversive. Prior work has suggested that migraineurs, in particular, are bothered by stripes. Subjects were selected by opportunity sampling. They were shown striped patterns and asked questions about their general health and their headache history, if any. Of the 102 subjects, 38 were diagnosed as having migraine headaches, 22 had nonmigraine headaches, and 42 were considered to be nonheadache subjects; 82% of those with migraines were stripe sensitive while only 6.2% without migraines were stripe sensitive. We conclude that stripe aversiveness is related to migraine headaches and can assist differentiation of migraine and nonmigraine headaches.