Eye pain: know the causes and what to do

Eye pain can arise from changes in the eye surface or in the inner regions of the eye. In addition to eye pain, people may experience other symptoms such as itching and burning that may be due, for example, to problems such as conjunctivitis or sinusitis.

In general, feeling tired eyes and making an effort to see are symptoms that pass after a few hours of sleep and rest, but if the pain is severe or persistent, or if it comes with vision problems, an ophthalmologist should be sought for. assess the cause of the problem.

Pain in the eyes after a blow, entering a speck or after the attack of an animal with sharp nails, can cause a scratch on the cornea and in this case there is severe pain in the affected eye, constant tearing and difficulty opening the eyes. See how to identify and treat a corneal scratch here.

Symptoms

Eye pain is usually accompanied by burning and throbbing pain, with the sensation of pricking in or around the eye or as if there is a foreign object in the eyeball.

In addition, there may be specific symptoms, such as:

Pain when moving the eyes: it can be a sign of a cough in the eye or tired eyes; Pain behind the eyes: it can be dengue, sinusitis, neuritis; Eye pain and headache: may indicate vision problems or flu; Pain and redness: it is a symptom of inflammation in the eye, such as conjunctivitis; Blinking pain: it can be a symptom of stye or speck in the eye; Pain in the eye and forehead: it often arises in cases of migraine.

These symptoms can appear in both the left and right eyes, and can also affect both eyes at once.

Common causes of eye pain

The most common causes of eye pain are:

1. Keratitis

It is an inflammation in the cornea that can be infectious or not. It can be caused by viruses, fungi, microbacteria or bacteria, misuse of contact lenses, injuries or blows to the eye, causing pain, decreased vision, sensitivity to light and excessive watery eyes.

Treatment: Keratitis is curable, but its treatment should be started as soon as possible, as the disease can spread quickly and can cause blindness. See how to treat here.

2. Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is inflammation on the inner surface of the eyelids and on the white part of the eye, causing redness, discharge and swelling in the eyes. It can be caused, most commonly, by viruses or bacteria, being easily transmitted to other people, or it can be due to an allergy or reaction to an irritating object that has come in contact with the eye.

Treatment: It can be done using analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic drugs, in case of bacterial conjunctivitis. See all the details of the treatment here.

3. Misuse of contact lenses

Improper use of contact lenses can cause inflammation and infections in the eyes that lead to pain, redness and itching, as well as more serious problems such as ulcers or keratitis.

Treatment: The lenses must be used following the recommendations of hygiene, maximum use time and the expiration date of the product. See the guide on how to choose and wear contact lenses.

4. Dry eyes

The eyes become dry due to several reasons that alter the quality of the tear, responsible for lubricating the eyeball. This problem causes a pricking and burning sensation, especially in air-conditioned environments, when riding a bicycle or after spending a few hours looking at the computer screen.

Treatment: Eye drops based on artificial tears should be used to help lubricate the eyeball. The use of eye drops that reduce redness can be used, but do not address the cause. In addition, if used indiscriminately and without guidance from the ophthalmologist, they can mask other vision problems and delay the diagnosis of a more serious problem.

5. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a multifactorial disease, however, whose main risk factor is increased pressure in the eyeball, which leads to damage to the optic nerve and progressive decrease in vision, if not diagnosed and treated early. As a disease with a slow and progressive evolution, in more than 95% of the cases there are no symptoms or signs of the disease until the vision diminishes. At that time the person already has an extremely advanced disease. Therefore, routine consultation with an ophthalmologist is essential to eye health.

Treatment: Although there is no definitive cure, the proper treatment of glaucoma allows control of symptoms and prevents blindness. Here's how to know if you have glaucoma.

6. Flu

The presence of infections in the body like flu and dengue can cause symptoms of headache and pain in the eyes, which decrease as the body fights the disease.

Treatment: You can use strategies such as drinking calming teas that improve circulation, such as ginger, fennel and lavender, put compresses of warm water on your forehead, use medications such as paracetamol and keep in a quiet place with low light.

7. Sinusitis

Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses and usually causes a headache and also causes pain behind the eyes and nose. In addition, the patient may present other symptoms not related to sinusitis such as sore throat and difficulty breathing, especially in a viral condition.

Treatment: It can be done with medicines applied directly to the nose or with antibiotic and flu medicines. See more about how to identify and treat sinusitis.

8. Dengue

Pain in the back of the eyes, accompanied by symptoms such as tiredness and body pain can indicate dengue fever, which is common especially in the summer.

Treatment: There is no need for specific treatment and can be done with pain relievers and medicines to lower the fever. Check all the symptoms to know if it is dengue.

9. Migraine

Migraine causes severe headache, especially affecting only one side of the face, and sometimes there are symptoms such as dizziness and sensitivity to light, with the need to wear sunglasses to feel better. In the case of cluster headache, pain affects the forehead and only one eye, with intense pain, in addition to watering and runny nose. In the case of migraine with aura, in addition to pain in the eyes, flashing lights may appear.

Treatment: Treatment is always done with migraine remedies, prescribed by the neurologist.

10. Optic neuritis

It manifests itself through symptoms such as pain when moving the eyes, which can affect only one or both eyes, in addition to sudden decrease or loss of vision, and alteration in the color test. The pain can be moderate or severe and tends to get worse when the eye is touched. It can occur in people who have multiple sclerosis, but it can also happen in case of tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, AIDS, childhood viruses such as mumps, chicken pox and measles, and others like Lyme disease, cat scratch disease, and herpes, for example.

Treatment: Depending on the cause, it can be done with corticosteroids, for example. Learn more about optic neuritis.

11. Diabetic eye neuropathy

In this case, it is an ischemic neuropathy that is the lack of irrigation of the optic nerve and does not cause pain. This is a consequence in diabetics who have not kept their blood glucose adequately controlled most of the time.

Treatment: In addition to controlling diabetes, you may need to have surgery or laser treatments. See the full list of symptoms, how it can be treated and why diabetes can cause blindness.

12. Trigeminal neuralgia

It causes pain in the eyes, but usually only one eye is affected, in an abrupt and intense way, similar to the sensation of electric shock, besides intense pain in the face. The pain lasts only a few seconds to two minutes, happening right afterwards, with intervals of a few minutes an hour, which can happen several times a day. Often the condition lasts for months, even with proper treatment.

Treatment: Treatment is done with medication or surgery, find out more details here.

When to go to the doctor

Medical help should be sought when eye pain is severe or lasts more than 2 days, when vision is impaired, autoimmune diseases or rheumatoid arthritis, or when in addition to pain, symptoms of redness, watery eyes, pressure sensation in the eyes and swelling.

In addition, while staying at home it is important to avoid bright locations, the use of computers and the use of contact lenses to reduce eye irritation and the chances of complications. See how to do a massage and exercises that fight eye pain and tired eyes here.