Eye Pain: Common Causes & When to See a Doctor
“Ouch! My eyes!” Quick, do a Google search for “eye pain causes”. Hold on. While Google knows a lot, it doesn’t necessarily know what is exactly causing your eye pain. A search can throw up something as common as dry eyes or eye strain to infections, inflammation, glaucoma and other conditions that need prompt medical attention.
Don’t panic. Eye pain is a symptom, not a diagnosis. So, the symptom pattern can help pinpoint a possible solution. The best practice is always to seek professional help but here are some guidelines.
What Are the Common Eye Pain Causes?
There is no single explanation for eye pain. It can affect the surface or feel deeper inside. Surface discomfort might cause burning, irritation or a sharp sensation, while deeper pain may feel like an ache or throbbing. Likely eye pain causes depend on symptoms for the right diagnosis.
Common eye pain causes include:
- Dry eyes, which may cause burning, scratchiness, redness and blurred vision
- Conjunctivitis, which may cause gritty or burning discomfort and sticky eyes
- A foreign object or scratch, which can cause watering, pain and blurred vision
- Contact-lens-related problems and infections
- Inflammation such as uveitis, iritis, keratitis or scleritis
- Headache disorders, including migraine and cluster headache
- Glaucoma and other conditions affecting the eye or optic nerve
Eye Pain With Headache
Eye strain after prolonged reading, close work or computer use may be associated with tired eyes, headaches and blurred vision. Refractive errors, including astigmatism, can also cause headaches, eye strain and blurred vision. These are among the more common eye pain causes.
However, a headache should not automatically be blamed on screens. Medical guidance will tell you that severe eye pain, light sensitivity and vision changes as reasons to seek urgent medical advice.
Do Not Wait If:
- A red eye with a severe headache also requires immediate assessment
- If pain is sudden or severe, or comes with vomiting, significant vision changes, halos around lights or marked redness, the eye pain causes may require urgent treatment
- Eye Pain and Blurry Vision. Blurred vision can occur with dry eye or refractive errors, but it can also accompany infection, inflammation and other conditions
- You are having blurred or double vision, flashing lights or other sudden visual symptoms. Sudden loss of vision or severe eye pain is an emergency
The Common Culprit – Digital Eye Strain
Long periods of reading, close work or computer use can contribute to eye strain. Symptoms may include tired or sore eyes, headaches and blurred vision. Digital eye strain can also be associated with dryness, redness, irritation and difficulty focusing.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeWiki explains that prolonged use of computers, tablets, e-readers and smartphones can contribute to digital eye strain. Regular breaks and frequent blinking may help.
Follow This: The 20-20-20 approach means looking away every 20 minutes and focusing on something about 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
When Should You See a Doctor for Eye Pain?
Knowing when to seek professional care is essential when considering eye pain causes. Looking out for these warning signs can distinguish routine discomfort from more serious eye pain causes.
- When eye pain is severe, accompanied by sensitivity to light, associated with vision changes, or when the eye is very red
- Symptoms start suddenly, pain keeps you awake at night, you cannot see, or the eye has been injured or pierced
- Contact-lens wearers with eye pain and vision loss
- A red eye with severe headache and nausea or vomiting
- Severe eye pain with headache, fever or increased light sensitivity
- Halos; swelling; difficulty moving or opening the eye; or blood or pus
How Can You Reduce Everyday Eye Discomfort?
Not every episode of eye discomfort means there is serious eye disease. When symptoms are mild and there are no warning signs, practical habits may help, depending on the cause.
Helpful habits include:
- Taking regular breaks during prolonged screen or close work
- Blinking frequently while using digital devices.
- Having an eye examination if headaches, blurred vision or eye strain recur
- Following contact-lens cleaning and replacement instructions
Eye Pain in Children: What Parents Should Know
Children may not always be able to describe what is wrong with their eyes, so parents and carers should pay attention to changes in behaviour as well as symptoms. Possible signs of an eye or vision problem in children can include headaches or eye strain, difficulty reading, regularly rubbing the eyes, sitting unusually close to the television, problems with hand-eye coordination or eyes that do not point in the same direction.
For everyday eye care, children can be encouraged to:
- Tell a parent, carer or teacher if their eyes hurt, their vision becomes blurry or they notice another change in how they see
- Avoid rubbing their eyes and wash their hands before touching them
- Wear appropriate protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities that could injure the eyes
- Wear sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB radiation when outdoors
Do not Ignore:
- Significant eye pain, sensitivity to light, a very red eye or changes in vision.
- Injury, something is stuck in the eye
- There is sudden loss of vision or severe eye pain, emergency assessment may be required.
Why the Pattern of Pain Matters
Location, severity, timing and accompanying symptoms can provide clues, but they cannot establish a diagnosis. Pain after something enters the eye may suggest a surface injury. Burning and gritty discomfort may occur with dry eye or conjunctivitis. Pain with redness, blurred vision and light sensitivity may occur with infection or inflammation. These patterns can point towards different eye pain causes.
Sudden vision changes, severe pain, marked redness, light sensitivity, nausea or vomiting, or an injury change the level of concern.
Understanding Eye Pain Causes
Understanding eye pain causes is important because pain can result from dryness, irritation or eye strain, but it can also signal infection, inflammation, glaucoma or another condition requiring medical attention.
If eye pain is severe or sudden, associated with vision loss or significant vision changes, accompanied by a severe headache and nausea, or follows an injury, urgent medical care is important. For recurring or unexplained discomfort, an optician, ophthalmologist or other appropriate healthcare professional can help identify the eye pain causes.
At Drashti Netralaya, we believe healthcare communication should help readers understand when a symptom deserves attention. Our healthcare team is always here to help and aims to make important information clearer and easier to act upon.
FAQs
1. What are the most common eye pain causes?
Common eye pain causes include dry eyes, conjunctivitis, foreign bodies, contact-lens problems, inflammation, headaches, glaucoma and eyelid conditions. An examination may be needed.
2. Can eye strain cause eye pain and headache?
Yes. Prolonged reading, close work or computer use can cause eye strain, headaches and blurred vision. Persistent symptoms should be assessed.
3. When is eye pain an emergency?
Sudden severe pain, vision loss or major vision changes, an injured or pierced eye, a painful red eye with severe headache and nausea, or eye pain with vision loss in a contact-lens wearer require immediate attention.
4. Why does eye pain happen with blurry vision?
Dry eye and refractive errors can cause both discomfort and blurred vision. Infections and inflammation can also do so. Sudden changes in vision require urgent assessment.
5. Should I see a doctor for persistent eye pain?
Yes. Persistent or recurring pain, especially with redness, light sensitivity or vision changes, should be professionally assessed.
