Introduction- What is Eye Pain?
Eye pain, also known as ophthalmalgia, is a dull, sharp, burning or throbbing pain in or around the eye. You may feel pain on the outer surface or the inner surface, often associated with eye soreness, dryness and irritation. Usually, your eye pain may last for a short time and settle without any treatment. When eye pain is associated with Vision loss, you will require immediate medical attention.
What are the causes of Eye Pain?
The common cause of eye pain are:
- When dust or debris get in the eye
- Extreme dryness of the eye
- Migraine
- Conjunctivitis
- Inflammation of the uvea (a layer of the eye)Â
- Scleritis ( inflammation of the scleral layer of the eye)
- Cluster headache
- Angular closure glaucoma
- Infected tear gland
- Contact lens irritation or displacement
- When debris is stuck under the contact lens.
What are the diagnosis and treatment options for Eye Pain?
Diagnosis
The first step in diagnosing eye pain is by general and systemic examination to rule out any potential source of infections, injury or trauma to the external part of the eye. Your eye doctor does a complete eye exam. This includes checking your vision and eye movements. Then, a detailed ocular examination or eye examination will be done to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment
The treatment options depend on the cause of eye pain:Â
- Home care- When the eye pain is caused due to stress, then rest your eyes for a day.Â
- Apply Warm compress for blepharitis or a stye which helps to reduce the compression and opens the clogged glands
- Eye Wash: When a foreign body or any other irritant gets into the eye, wash your eye with water or a saline solution.Â
- Antibacterial drops and oral antibiotics: To treat infections of the eye like conjunctivitis and other bacterial infections, thereby reducing the pain.
- Antihistamines for eye care: Oral ophthalmic antihistamines help to manage severe itching and watering of the eyesÂ
- Eye drops in case of glaucoma
- Ophthalmic Corticosteroids: In case of severe infections like optic neuritis and other severe eye infections.Â
- Anti-inflammatory and pain medications: It is generally prescribed to manage severe pain while treating the root causeÂ
- Surgery: This is very rarely done in eye pain due to severe trauma resulting in a retinal tear or severe injury caused by foreign bodies.
When should you consult a doctor if you have Eye Pain?
If your eye pain is associated with bleeding or vision loss, you should consider this an emergency and seek immediate care. Â
- Eye pain caused due to chemical or flash burn or any other injury
- Eye pain associated with unusual sensitivity to light or disturbed vision
- Eye pain with severe abdominal pain, fever or vomiting
- Unusual or severe uncontrolled eye pain
Conclusion
Eye Pain can be acute, sometimes intense and short-lived, or chronic and lasts for a  month. However, your eye pain is usually easy to treat. There are main causes of eye pain. Once the eye pain has not subsided after rest, the best way to get rid of this condition is to consult a doctor immediately.
