So I think calling it migraine is not a good description, in terms of accuracy, or in practical terms of what to do about it.
Everyone has to suit himself or herself, but the visual effect you describe, Bruno, is in point of fact well documented as diagnostic for migraine aura, regardless of whether you find it pleasant, which accords with what 3 local neurologists I've seen over the years have explained. The occasional head pain you describe lends support to the role of neuronal hyperexcitability in producing this visual effect. Migraine aura is due to "speeding up" brain activity, in medical parlance "neuronal hyperexcitability." My neurologist says it is easy to induce aura in people with anything that causes this "speeding up."
Now, here is what
MCTB says about neurological side effects of practice in general:
Unfortunately, I must admit that I do not know the exact odds of these side effects happening to you. I do know firsthand that they happen and that if you cross the A&P Event you are fairly likely to run into at least some of the them.
These side effects are no fantasy. When they show up they are as real and powerful as if some dangerous drug had seriously skewed your neurochemistry, and I often wonder if that might be something like what happens.
Now back to your comment, Bruno:
I think that going to the doctor and telling him I have this strobing in the hope he'll give me drugs is generally a really bad idea. I would only do this if it was really really bothering me, because the current state of the art in psychiatry are these generic-purpose sledgehammer drugs full of potential side effects, which psychiatrists have but the faintest idea why they work.
One
doesn't go to a psychiatrist for evaluation for this; one goes to a
neurologist, preferably one with a subspecialty in headache disorders and migraine. Diagnosis is by history, presentation, and sometimes (but certainly not usually) tests to exclude other causes. The first-line medication to prevent this aura stuff is not a psycho-active drug, as you incorrectly assume. It is a simple calcium channel blocker, usually used as a mild hypertension reducer, with a very old safety profile. It is benign, particularly in that it doesn't affect emotions or thinking (ie, it isn't one of the psychiatric sledgehammer drugs, and I do know what you talking about regarding those beasts). Some people just don't want to take any prescriptions at all, no matter what. That is a personal choice, but I believe more information to consider is better than less when making personal choices.
In my case, I have multiple debilitating manifestations of migraine, and it is important to acknowledge that
migraine with aura is always dangerous. Even if I happened to find the visual effects pleasant or neutral, I don't want the huge risk factor for stroke. That's my personal informed choice. Other people on this thread, like the OP, may want to stop this strobing effect after evaluating with a doctor whether it is a risk factor for stroke and heart attack. I'm not a doctor, so I'm not prescribing independent action or nonaction. I'm just saying, Hey if anyone is interested in stopping the effect or, more important, preventing stroke and cardiovacular events, then that person may want to consult a neurologist, as opposed to doing nothing or getting on the medical merry-go-round with GPs and other kinds of specialists.
Lastly, you are claiming that this strobing--or yours at any rate--is not a side effect of neuronal excitability and consequent cortical spreading depression. Please explain what your strobing visions indicate (since mine have been shown to be migraine, for they stop with CCBs) and how you know that yours don't involve this neurochemistry somewhere along the chain and fundamentally differ from mine.