Eye Pain

What is Eye Pain?

Eye pain, also known as ophthalmalgia, is a discomfort in the eye. This discomfort or pain can be ocular (on the eye surface) or orbital (within the eye). The pain might be acutely arising due to an injury or an allergic reaction or chronic due to an eye infection, or more serious disorders. Since vision loss is a very real possibility, all eye pain should be immediately attended by a qualified doctor.

What are the main associated signs and symptoms?

Eye pain is a symptom and is often accompanied by other common signs and symptoms:

• Disturbed vision
• Crying in case of children with severe pain
• Fever
• Bulging eyes
• Reduced clarity
• Vomiting
• Coughing and running nose
• Pus discharge

What are the main causes?

In most common cases, eye pain occurs because of an infection or an injury. Some of the other commonly reported causes for eye pain are as follows:

• Allergies
• Blockage in the tear duct
• Headaches
• Iris inflammation
• Inflammation of the white part of the eye
• Stye
• Conjunctivitis
• Glaucoma– increased pressure in the eye
• Inflammation in the cornea

How is it diagnosed and treated?

In case you experience some of the above-mentioned symptoms, it clearly indicates that you must visit a doctor.

• For an effective diagnosis, the doctor will physically examine your eyes to understand the cause of the eye pain.
• He/she may also perform a slit lamp eye examination, which allows the visualisation of the inside of the eye under high magnification.

Depending on the severity of the infection or the pain, the doctor may suggest different care measures to relieve the eye pain. Some of them will include

• Use of over the counter pain relievers to overcome the constant debilitating pain
• Use of eye drops to prevent the spasms in the ciliary muscles. This shall help to reduce the redness and pain
• Antimicrobial eye drops to treat the infection
• Steroid eye drops to settle the inflammation

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2. American academy of ophthalmology. Eye Pain. California, United States. [internet].
3. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: US National Library of Medicine; Eye pain
4. Center for Disease Control and Prevention [internet], Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services; Pink Eye: Usually Mild and Easy to Treat
5. Better health channel. Department of Health and Human Services [internet]. State government of Victoria; Eye injuries: foreign body in the eye