What Does Having Eye Pains Mean For Me?
by Dr Chen Tai Ho | Aug 9, 2015
Hi all, I hope you are continuing to enjoy what is left of the weekend, rejuvenating your mind and body for the week to come. For today’s topic, I want to explore eye pain and what it could mean for you. I am sure most of you have experienced some form of eye pain at some point, but why does it happen? It could simply be some dust, or it may even be something more serious than that. Let me elaborate a bit below.
Potential Symptoms
Eye pain may range from a sense of uncomfortableness to sharp pains, depending on what causes it. Some symptoms to look out for include blurred vision, headaches, being overly sensitive to lights, constant tearing, or even discharge which could be clear or coloured.
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| There are many potential causes for eye pain (pic from tifaq.com) |
You should also keep an eye out (excuse the pun), for pinkeye or redness and foreign body sensations – this is a feeling that something is in your eye, even if there is nothing there!
Generally, most eye pains are nothing more than tiredness or slight aches and will go away after some rest or sleep. However, you should seek out a doctor if the pain is much worse than usual. If your eye is too painful to touch, has trouble moving, or bulges outward from the eyelid, seek medical attention immediately.
Eye Conditions or Problems
Here are several potential conditions that could be affecting your eye:
Conjunctivitis (pinkeye)
This is caused by viral or bacterial infections, or allergies and results in your conjunctiva to become inflamed. You will notice the blood vessels inside it swelling up, while your eye whites will be red. Itchiness and discharge from the eye are also symptoms of this condition.
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| Eye whites becoming red are a symptom of pinkeye (pic from resus.com.au) |
Foreign bodies
This is not severe and only causes mild irritation. Very tiny objects such as dust, plant debris or fragments will cause your eye to tear up. Just use some water to carefully rinse it out, as they can cause abrasions if not taken care of.
Abrasions
This is when your cornea suffers a scratch, and can be severely painful. It is caused by objects scraping the cornea, such as a stray finger, tiny branches or other objects that may go near your eye. Antibiotic drops should solve the problem, and will probably not cause any additional damage.
Infections
This can occur when your wear contact lenses overnight, or if you wear lenses that have not been thoroughly cleaned or disinfected. In a few cases, this can also be caused by shingles, and you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Glaucoma
This is a serious condition which should be addressed immediately should you experience severe pain, decreased vision, nausea and vomiting, and headaches. These symptoms are a warning and should be treated urgently to prevent potential blindness.
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| Any symptoms of glaucoma should be checked immediately (pic from glaucoma.org.au) |
Sinusitis
If your sinuses are infected, it could affect your eyes by building up the pressure behind them, causing pain on either or both sides. Unfortunately, this will only subside when your sinus begins to recover.
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