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From what I've found on-line, dream images are processed in the visual cortex "not the primary visual cortex that interacts with the outside world, but the visual association areas that form hallucinatory images". If VS is a hallucinatory function of a malfunctioning secondary visual cortex, then it would follow that we should always see VS in our dreams, but at least some of us don't...

So as far as my laymans understanding goes, this lack of VS in the dream only leaves the neurological connection between the eyes and the visual cortex - the optic nerve bundle, some kind of issue in the primary visual cortex, and psychological causes, no? But if VS et al are supposed to be hallucinatory shouldn't the malfunction be in the secondary visual cortex and as a result, shouldn't I see VS in my dreams? The logic doesn't make sense.

The only thing I could hypothesis, as an ignorant layperson, and a data interchange specialist, is that there is a hand-off of information from the primary visual cortext to the secondary visual cortex and somehow the data is not in the expected format - perhaps some noise is being introduced somewhere or maybe the voltages are too high or to low -maybe some cross talk between nerves - that sort of thing. The secondary visual cortext is expecting data within its programmed tolerances and isn't receiving it, and as a result it generates these hallucinations that we are seeing.

I expect that for some people VS, even without migraine, might be a condition that is similar to epilepsy, maybe a distant cousin. Since my sister and her son both see VS in the dark, I expect there is a genetic link to the abnormal electrical activity that manifests itself as VS. But, since VS isn't well known nor terminal, I don't expect much in the way of genetic profiling to happen in the near future... This would also explain why anti-seizure drugs work for (at least) some people's VS.

I don't mind not seeing VS in my dreams, a few days ago I dreamed I was laying on my back, looking at a beautiful blue sky with great puffy clouds like I used to do as a kid. Then I realized there was no VS, then I realized I was dreaming and woke up. It was bitter sweet. At least I had that moment of 'respite'.

http://www.exn.ca/Stories/1999/11/05/54.asp
http://lists.paleopsych.org/pipermail/paleopsych/2007-October/007586.html