The aim of the study was to compare the clinical features and visual fields of patients with migraine without aura and tension type headache. Visual fields were assessed whilst the patients were having an attack of pain and tested using the Humphrey field analyser. All patients also underwent a detailed ocular examination including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination and intraocular pressure measurement. The visual fields and ocular features of 25 patients with migraine and 25 with tension type headache were evaluated. Visual field defects varied from a small peripheral scotoma to a complete field loss. The authors analysed the associations of visual field losses with the headache frequency, duration and severity. Results showed that migraine sufferers are no more likely to have abnormal visual fields than tension type headache patients.