“Ouch! Why is My Eye Hurting?” If you have ever found yourself asking that question, you know just how unpleasant Eye Pain can be to deal with. Such pain is fairly common and can be caused by a problem in the eye or structures around it, such as the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, iris, orbit, extraocular muscles, nerves, or eyelids.
Symptoms of Eye Pain
- Pain
- Headache
- Light Sensitivity
- Tearing
- Foreign Body Sensation / It feels like something is in your eye
- Decreased Vision
- Discharge
- Red Eye
- Pinkeye
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms of eye pain, pick up the phone and schedule an appointment with your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist – as soon as possible.
Common Causes of Eye Pain
- Blepharitis: Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid and eyelash structures. It is a common eye condition that is typically caused by either a bacterial or skin condition such as dandruff of the scalp or acne rosacea. However, if left untreated, Blepharitis can lead to more serious issues, such as scarring or injury to the eye’s tissue.
- Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye): There are several types of pink eye, ranging from the contagious viral or bacterial infection mentioned above, to a common irritation of the conjunctiva – the clear membrane covering the white part of the eye and interior lining of the eyelids.
- Corneal Abrasion: Caused by trauma to the eye, a corneal abrasion refers to a scratch on the outer layer of the eye. It is the second most common form of corneal distress.
- Keratitis (Corneal Infection): This form of corneal disease is an inflammation of the cornea that occurs with viral, bacteria or fungal infection. Symptoms of keratitis include severe eye pain, reduced visual clarity, and discharge.
- Something in the Eye: If not removed, foreign bodies in the eye can cause corneal abrasion (see above).
- Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by elevated pressure inside the eye and sometimes other factors that cause the fibers running through the optic nerve to slowly deteriorate. The optic nerve is the part of the eye that carries the images we see to the brain. Without treatment, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss.
- Uveitis: Uveitis is an inflammatory condition of the middle layer of the eye, the uvea, which provides most of the blood supply to the retina. Similar to arthritis of the joints, Uveitis is not an infection, but rather an inflammation.
- Stye: A stye is an inflamed oil gland on the edge of your eyelid, where the lash meets the lid. Often times individuals with a stye can experience the feeling that something is in the eye, increased sensitivity to light, excess tearing, or tenderness. Styes are often painful, and left untreated can grow to temporarily impair your vision.
- And More!
If you have any questions about our blog, “Why is My Eye Hurting? Common Causes of Eye Pain,” please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrists Dr. Nathan Frank and Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists at the Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or visiting AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!
For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.
Source:
Eye Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment WebMD