Eye Pain

Eye pain is a very common problem characterised by burning, aching, throbbing or stabbing feeling in and around the eye. Eye pain may be caused due to various reasons such as conjunctivitis (pink eye), burns in the eye, eye surgery, glaucoma (damaged optic nerve), infection from foreign bodies, sty (inflamed oil gland on eyelid), migraine (recurrent moderate to severe headaches), sinus problems (inflamed bone cavities around the eyes), and problems with your contact lenses.

Some symptoms associated with eye pain include decreased vision, discharge from the eye due to which the eye may become crusted shut, headache, sensitivity to light, tearing, reddening of the eyes, and nausea or vomiting.

The cause of eye pain is diagnosed with a slit lamp test, dilating your eyes with eye drops so that your doctor can look deep into the eye tissues, and assessment of high pressure of the eyes using a tonometer.

Treatment of eye pain varies based on the underlying cause of the pain. Antibacterial, antiviral, steroid and antibiotic eye drops can be used to treat eye pain due to infections. If the pain is caused due to a sty, warm cloth compresses can be used to help heal. Sometimes resting your eyes such as using glasses for a few days instead of a contact lens may help relieve pain if it is not very severe.