Why Do My Eyes Hurt? Potential Causes and Treatments

Identifying the causes of Eye Pain

Your Eyes can feel pain and discomfort in many different ways. You may feel like your eyes are heavy, stinging, aching or even burning. You may also feel as if you have an object or other foreign body in them. This can seriously affect your ability to see properly and prevents you from getting on with your day. For those wondering “Why do my eyes hurt?” we have put together a guide on what may be the issue.

This blog will look at the potential causes of your eye pain and what you can do to treat them and prevent the same feeling from coming back. If you are noticing that your eyes hurt for prolonged periods of time or if it is a recurring problem, Visit a doctor.

The Eye is a very complex organ with a very important role, so catching any issues as early as possible is crucial. Understanding what is causing you pain and how you can prevent it in the future can help avoid further issues in the future

Why Do My Eyes Hurt?: Common Symptoms

There are many different types of pain you may be feeling in your eye, so narrowing down which symptoms you have can help determine what is causing the pain. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Headaches, or Migraines behind the eyes
• Stinging eyes, painful to keep open
• Eyes hurt to move, either looking around or moving your head
• Pain in or behind one eye
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurred vision
• Discharge

This list does not include every possible symptom, just some of the most common ones. We will break down the symptoms of each potential cause later in the guide. Evaluating your symptoms can help determine if you are having a medical emergency and need to see a doctor straight away.

Potential Causes of Eye Pain

Your eyes are very sensitive organs and there are many different conditions that affect them, many of which will disappear over time. Conditions such as Glaucoma or Corneal Abrasions require proper treatment.

Some of the most common causes for pain in your eyes include:

Eye Strain

Stained eyes can be very painful. They often occur when you are focusing on one specific thing for extended periods of time, such as looking at screens, driving and reading. Specifically, eyestrain develops when the eyes get tired. People who work at a computer tend to experience eye strain and it can be difficult to avoid.

Resting your eyes whenever possible can help alleviate the pain. One popular “rule” is the 20-20-20 rule, which recommends that you take a break from high-focus tasks every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Adjusting the brightness of your screens, recusing glare from lights and windows and wearing glasses can also help minimise the effects of eye strain.

Dry Eyes

Dry eyes are a very common condition that occurs when the tear ducts do not produce enough tears to keep the eyes moist. Dry Eyes can be very painful and irritating and can cause a myriad of symptoms including:

• Burning or Stinging Eyes
• Sensitivity to Light
• Blurred Vision
• Redness or Swollen Eyes

Dry Eyes usually occur in older adults, females and people who do not get enough Vitamin A or Omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. People with autoimmune conditions such as Lupus or Sjogrens Syndrome are also at risk of developing Dry Eyes.

It can be difficult to avoid dry eyes, especially if you work at a computer. Making an effort to avoid staring at screens without blinking for extended periods, air conditioning and wind blowing into the eyes and cigarette smoke can help you minimise your chances of developing dry eyes.

Eye drops and Prescription medications are available to make your tear ducts produce more tears and can help alleviate the pain that comes with dry eyes.

If you struggle with Dry Eyes, we supply a range of products dedicated to combating dry eyes available.

Check out our shop for a range of dry eye prevention bundles.

Buy the “All Eye Need” Premium Regime Bundle

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis, also known as “Pink Eye” is a condition that develops from a virus or bacterium and usually will resolve on its own without any treatments required. Those with bacterial conjunctivitis symptoms may need antibiotic eye drops or eye ointments. The most common symptoms of Conjunctivitis are:

• Pink or Red swollen eyes
• Itching or Burning
• Watery Eyes
• Discharge, which could be white, yellow or green

Conjunctivitis, while usually short-lived, can be very painful for your eyes. If you notice persistent or very severe symptoms, you should visit a doctor.

Pink Eye can also be very easily passed to other people. If you have conjunctivitis you should wash your hands regularly, especially if you have touched the eye area. It is also recommended that you stop wearing contact lenses, and eye makeup and stop sharing any personal items that may have touched the infected area.

Conjunctivitis will usually clear up by itself. So if this is why your eyes hurt, you should be fine in a matter of days.

Corneal Abrasion

Corneal Abrasions are a very irritating condition in your eye that can be extremely difficult to ignore. A corneal abrasion is a scratch in the cornea, which is the clear layer that covers the front of the eye. A scratch can occur in a range of different circumstances, including putting in contact lenses, rubbing eyes, applying makeup or any eye-related accidents.

The result is a lot of irritation and pain, along with:

• Sensitivity to Light
• Blurred Vision in the affected eye
• Feeling like there is something stuck in your eye
• Irritated, Watery Eyes

To treat a corneal abrasion, a clinician may prescribe eye drops, a patch or bandage to protect the eye or a special contact lens that speeds up healing. Usually, mild scratches will heal within around 2 days, whereas more severe scratches can take up to a week to recover.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster Headaches are severely painful headaches that occur in clusters. These are not related to your eye but can be the reason why your eyes hurt. A cluster headache usually starts very suddenly, sometimes followed by visual disturbances such as flashes of light before the headache begins.

They usually occur on one side of the head and can occur behind the eye area. Cluster headaches are commonly described as a constant and deep burning pain that can move to different parts of the head.

When people are searching for “Why do my eyes hurt”, cluster headaches are a common cause. In most cases, the only treatment you will be able to receive is pain medication such as Triptan medications (a nasal spray that helps ease the headache), Capsaicin cream or over-the-counter pain medication.

As Cluster headaches are not directly affected by any eye conditions, it is difficult to put preventative measures in place to stop your eye pain.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a painful disease that usually occurs as a result of abnormally high pressure within the eye. This can erode the tissue on your optic nerve and can lead to vision loss or blindness. Glaucoma is usually incredibly painful and has an adverse effect on your vision, including sudden vision disturbances, coloured rings or ”Halos” appearing around lights and sudden blurry vision. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important that you visit a doctor as soon as possible.

Those most at risk for developing Glaucoma include:

• People over the age of 60
• People of African descent are significantly more likely to develop Glaucoma
• Inflammation or thin corneas can lead to increased pressure in the eye
• Those who have a family history of Glaucoma
• People with high blood pressure and heart disease
• People who use Corticosteroids for extended periods of time.

Glaucoma can be treated through certain prescription medications in the form of eye drops or pills. You can also get surgery for more severe cases of Glaucoma, which will create a drainage path for fluid or destroy the tissues that are responsible for the higher pressure. We at Eye doctor offer Glaucoma surgery to help you relieve the pain that comes with the disease, contact us today for more information.

Why Do My Eyes Hurt? Home Remedies

For most eye conditions and diseases that can cause pain, you will require more professional assistance from an Ophthalmologist (including ourselves) or a doctor. However, some home remedies can alleviate the pain for dry, sore, tired or strained eyes.

Some of our recommended home remedies include:

Resting and Sleep

For tired and strained eyes, taking a short but regular break from your task can help you minimise the effects of your pain and help preserve the quality of your vision over time. If possible, taking a short sleep can also relieve a lot of pain.

Eye Drops

Over-the-counter eye drops can help add moisture to your eyes and help relieve some of the pain that comes with dry/tired eyes.

Humidifiers

Humidifiers increase moisture in the air, counteracting some of the reasons dry and strained eyes develop. These are a good solution for anyone who works in the same location regularly and constantly suffers from dry eyes.

Stopping or Reducing Smoking

Cigarette smoke irritates and dries the eyes and can increase the risk of eye diseases or optic nerve damage.

Treatment for painful eye conditions and diseases can vary, milder conditions such as conjunctivitis or Eye strain can usually be cured through a lifestyle change or taking preventative measures whereas severe diseases, such as glaucoma, require more extreme measures.

If you experience any pain in your eyes, the right thing to do is to immediately schedule an exam with your nearest clinician. Only a professional and qualified eye doctor can determine the exact cause and prescribe/recommend the best treatment. If you would like to schedule a consultation with us, contact us here.

When it comes to eye pain, it is important not to take chances – see a qualified professional as soon as possible.