Eye Pain – The Most Common Causes Of Eye Pain And What Doctors Can Do To Help

The causes of eye pain are numerous and can range from any form of accidents to infections. In many instances, eye pain can go away naturally, but it is always important to visit a medical professional for him or her to eliminate any serious problems and prevent irreversible eye complications. Apart from vision problems and eye diseases, most people visit the eye professionals because of eye pain.

Most people with eye pain describe the situation as having a sharp, burning, dull, shooting, gritty, throbbing, stabbing or aching pain in the eyes. Many people, however, mistake symptoms of sinus, headaches, toothaches, or migraines with those of eye pain, thus the need to visit an eye professional immediately an individual experiences pain in the eyes.

Symptoms of eye pain

Although the main symptom of eye pain is pain in the eyes, other discomforts can accompany the condition including:

•        Excess production of tears or any other form of clear, colored or thick discharge
•        High sensitivity to light
•        Conjunctivitis
•        Having a sensation of foreign bodies in the eyes
•        Vomiting, nausea, headaches as well as decreased vision

Causes of eye pain

As mentioned above, the causes of eye pain can be as many as you can count, and a problem with any of the many parts of the eye can be the cause of the pain. However, the causes of eye pain have two main classifications, ocular pain and orbital pain.

Ocular pain

This type of pain affects the outer part of the eye and the main causes for this include:

Abrasions or ulcerations of the cornea – The transparent part of the eye is called the cornea, and it can develop abrasions from foreign body scratches or contact lens overuse and ulcerations from abrasions or infections. The foreign bodies in the eyes causing the abrasions and ulcerations are usually the cause eye pain.

Chalazion or Sty – These conditions cause lumps in the eyelids, owing to blockage of an oil gland. The lumps irritate the eye every time an individual blinks and this irritation leads to eye pain.

Conjunctivitis – This represents any reaction on the conjunctiva (the membrane that covers the eyeball and lines the eyelid) resulting from chemical, bacterial, viral, or allergic inflammations. The eye pain here will usually be mild, and the eye will turn red and become itchy.

Blepharitis – Eye pain can result from an eyelid inflammation caused by the plugging of the oil glands along the edges of the eyelids.

Chemical and flash burns – Exposing the eye to chemicals such as bleaches or household cleaners that contain an acid or an alkaline will result in a painful chemical burn. A flash burn, on the other hand, will result from exposing the eye to intense light, such as the light that comes from tanning booths, arc welding, or during a very sunny day.

Orbital pain

This form of eye pain occurs deep within the eye, with the main causes being the different types of eye diseases.

Migraines – Migraines are severe headaches, and there is no doubt between their relationships with orbital eye pain.

Glaucoma – The intraocular pressure that results from glaucoma will usually lead to eye pain. If an individual does not seek medical attention for glaucoma, it can lead to several eye defects including blindness.

Traumatic injuries – An injury to the eye will usually lead to eye pain, injuries such as a blow to the eye, involvement in a vehicle accident, or an object penetrating the eye.

Iritis – Iritis is a condition of the eyes where the iris is inflamed. The iris is the colored part of the eye. This condition usually leads to eye pain.

Sinusitis – When an individual’s sinuses have viral or bacterial infections, the sensation in the eye socket or orbital will undoubtedly cause eye pain.

Optic neuritis – This condition describes the optic nerve inflammation, which can result from viral infections, bacterial infections, or multiple sclerosis. Optic neuritis causes pressure buildup in the areas behind the eye and, therefore, leads to eye pain or even visual changes.

What a doctor will do for you

A doctor will begin by diagnosing the problem and looking for the best course of treatment before things get any worse. A doctor will perform certain eye examinations such as a slit-eye exam, detect whether there is abnormal pressure in the eye, and use dilating drops to see inside the eye clearly.

Depending on the problem causing the eye pain, the doctor can recommend medication or a surgery to get rid of the underlying problem and the eye pain completely.