Eye pain is uncomfortable and can indicate an eye disease or another issue, which may require prompt treatment. Just be prepared to answer some of the following questions when you call our office:. The location of your eye pain can tell you a lot about the potential causes. Eye pain can happen in a single eye or both of your eyes. While the cause may be severe in some occasions, it may suggest a temporary condition.
Either way, reporting your symptoms to your eye doctor is an excellent way to monitor your pain progression and the likelihood of you having serious eye conditions.
Here are three primary reasons for pain behind your right eye:. An infection in your sinuses may cause an increase in pressure, which can make your eyelids puffy. This may lead to discomfort behind or beneath your eye. As your sinus infection gets better, the redness and pain should decrease. Just as puffiness around the eye due to an infection can contribute to discomfort, an infection or inflammation in the optic nerve can, too. In addition to the uncomfortable feeling behind your eye, you might experience these symptoms : a blurry field of view, darkened vision, and trouble seeing color saturation.
In most cases, dry eye does not require urgent attention; but your eye doctor can perform tests to determine the severity of the dryness and recommend the most effective treatment. Pink eye conjunctivitis. Eye infections including fungal eye infections and Acanthamoeba keratitis. Iritis anterior uveitis. Contact lens discomfort. A very serious cause of pain in the eye is a condition called endophthalmitis en-dahf-thal-MITE-is , which is inflammation of the interior of the eye.
It usually is caused by a bacterial infection from a penetrating eye injury or it can be a rare complication of cataract surgery or other eye surgery.
Endophthalmitis, in addition to causing eye pain, causes redness, swollen eyelids and decreased vision. If you have these symptoms after cataract surgery or other eye surgery, see an eye doctor immediately.
In the case of a migraine headache, the pain almost always is behind only one eye and often is accompanied by pain elsewhere on the same side of the head. Pain behind the eye from a sinus infection usually is less severe than pain from a migraine, and both eyes may be affected. Though pain behind the eyes from these causes typically is not an emergency, if you have chronic or recurring pain of this type, see an eye doctor or general physician for treatment and to see what can be done to prevent future episodes.
One of the most common causes of pain around the eyes is a stye hordeolum in the eyelid. A stye doesn't require urgent attention from an eye doctor and usually can be successfully treated at home by applying warm compresses to the eyelid several times a day for a few days.
Blepharitis is another common problem that can cause swollen eyelids and discomfort around the eyes. Computer vision syndrome also called digital eye strain also can cause pain around the eyes. This is not an urgent problem, and there are simple steps you can take to relieve computer eye strain. A much less common and much more serious cause of pain around the eyes is a condition called optic neuropathy , which can cause permanent vision loss.
As it does, it can create pain in one or both eyes. Eye pain is a common side effect of migraine attacks. Penetrating injuries to the eye, which can occur when a person is hit with an object or is involved in an accident, can cause significant eye pain. While uncommon, inflammation in the iris can cause pain deep inside the eye. If you begin experiencing vision loss in addition to eye pain, this may be a sign of an emergency situation.
Other symptoms that need immediate medical attention include:. The best way to treat many of the conditions that cause eye pain is to allow your eyes to rest. Staring at a computer screen or television can cause eyestrain , so your doctor may require you to rest with your eyes covered for a day or more.
Doctors may instruct people with blepharitis or a sty to apply warm, moist towels to their eyes. This will help to clear the clogged oil gland or hair follicle. If a foreign body or chemical gets into your eye, flush your eye with water or a saline solution to wash the irritant out. Antibacterial drops and oral antibiotics may be used to treat infections of the eye that are causing pain, including conjunctivitis and corneal abrasions.
For more serious infections, such as optic neuritis and anterior uveitis iritis , your doctor may give you corticosteroids. If the pain is severe and causes an interruption to your day-to-day life, your doctor may prescribe a pain medicine to help ease the pain until the underlying condition is treated. Surgery is sometimes needed to repair damage done by a foreign body or burn. However, this is rare. Individuals with glaucoma may need to have a laser treatment to improve drainage in the eye.
Most eye pain will fade with no or mild treatment. Eye pain and the underlying conditions that cause it rarely lead to permanent damage to the eye. For example, the pain and symptoms caused by glaucoma are a sign of an impending problem.
If not diagnosed and treated, glaucoma can cause vision problems and eventually total blindness. Your vision is nothing to gamble on. Prevent many causes of eye pain, such as scratches and burns, by wearing goggles or safety glasses when playing sports, exercising, mowing the lawn, or working with hand tools.
Infections can trigger optic neuritis, and it is also commonly associated with multiple sclerosis MS. Around 50 percent of all people with MS experience optic neuritis, which is often the first indication of MS. A toothache, especially as a result of infection, may cause throbbing pain and feelings of pressure to spread to nearby parts of the face, as the surrounding nerves become affected.
For example, a case study published in the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences concerned a person whose toothache led to a swelling of the left eye socket after 2 days. The vision in the swollen eye grew worse, and the pain increased along with the swelling. Injuries to the face, such as those sustained in car accidents or while playing sports, may lead to a feeling of pressure and pain behind and around the eyes.
Different types of fracture to the eye socket can cause damage to the eye muscles, nerves, and sinuses. Pressure behind the eyes is not a serious medical concern on its own, but it may indicate the presence of a more acute condition.
Anyone who notices symptoms such as loss of vision, bulging eyes , fever, frequent headaches, or facial swelling should see their doctor. If the doctor is unable to make a diagnosis, they will refer the person to an appropriate expert who can investigate more thoroughly.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers are safe to use. They may ease the feeling of pressure if it is not severe and does not seem to be a side effect of a more serious condition. If the pressure is severe or comes with other symptoms, see a doctor.
Following diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe any treatments needed.
0コメント