If the eyes hurt, what is the reason and what should be done?

Why do eyes hurt?

A large number of receptors are concentrated in the eyes of a person, which will make it possible to respond well to external stimuli, but at the same time to feel any pain sharply.

Pain in the eyes can be caused by the following reasons:

• conjunctivitis. So in medicine, a large group of inflammatory diseases that affect the conjunctiva is designated – a thin transparent film that covers the eye in the back of the eyelids and the front. It performs important functions, secreting the components of the lacrimal fluid and protecting against small litter and foreign particles from entering the mucous membrane. Inflammation of the conjunctiva makes the eyes vulnerable, leading to vision problems. Therefore, it is necessary to contact an ophthalmologist when its symptoms appear. 

Conjunctivitis can be triggered by various infections: bacterial, fungal, chlamydial, viral. They get into the eye when rubbing it with your hands, using low-quality cosmetics, washing with dirty water, or while swimming in an infected reservoir. With colds and viral diseases, the infection leading to conjunctivitis is carried through the body with blood. The cause of inflammation is tobacco smoke, hypothermia or overwork, bright sunlight, malnutrition or beriberi. Allergies can also manifest in the form of conjunctivitis. Such a response occurs to dust, pollen, wool and fluff of animals.

In this regard, there are such types of conjunctivitis as allergic, bacterial and viral. Classification is due to the causes of inflammation. The bacterial and viral forms are dangerous because they are easily transmitted by airborne droplets. In the first case, both eyes are usually affected. Inflammation is accompanied by the release of mucus and pus. Viral conjunctivitis affects one eye. In a small amount, mucus may be discharged from the nose.

Conjunctivitis is chronic and acute. The reason for its first type is irritants that act for a long time, for example, smoke, chemical impurities in the air. Adults often have to deal with the chronic form of the disease. It can also be due to a lack of vitamins in the body or metabolic disorders. Acute conjunctivitis has a pronounced symptomatology, it manifests itself suddenly. Its most common symptom is redness of the eyes, as inflammation leads to rupture of capillaries, which causes proteins to acquire a characteristic shade. Drops and compresses help to cope with conjunctivitis.  

• Glaucoma. This disease is associated with an increase in intraocular pressure and during periods of exacerbations is accompanied by severe pain. There are two types of glaucoma: open-angle and closed-angle. In the first case, it develops gradually, the patient is not disturbed by any discomfort. Over time, the field of vision narrows, and then the patient, as a rule, goes blind in one eye. Acute pain is characteristic of angle-closure glaucoma. It is felt in the temple area, the eyebrow. Heaviness and tension in the eye, severe discomfort are obvious symptoms of glaucoma, so when they appear, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist. This disease in most cases leads to complete loss of vision.

• Sinusitis. This disease is known as sinusitis and is an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Among its symptoms, nasal discharge and swelling are most often noted. The patient has difficulty breathing. The mucous membrane of the nose increases and presses on the tissues of the eye, which provokes pain in them. If the discomfort is associated with sinusitis, you should contact an otolaryngologist.

• Corneal damage. This is the most common cause of eye pain. Mechanical damage occurs when rubbing and combing the eyes with your hands in order to get rid of discomfort. It is usually caused by the ingress of foreign objects and specks on the mucous membrane. In such cases, you do not need to touch your eyes with your hands, you should rinse them with running water or blink so that the tear secretions wash out the smallest particle.

• The emergence of barley. A common disease in which the eyelid becomes inflamed and swollen. Its cause is infection of the eyelashes at the base, and in most cases the causative agent is a staphylococcal bacterium. Barley causes severe pain in the eye area, swelling and redness. It may go away on its own after a few days, but in some cases, home treatment is carried out if there is no improvement for a long time. Compresses and ointments help to quickly get rid of inflammation in barley and prevent complications.

Why do my eyes hurt, as if crushing?

The sensation of squeezing in the eyes occurs with increased intraocular pressure on the shell of the eye, which is exerted by the vitreous body and fluid inside the organs of vision. This phenomenon can be caused by various diseases, for example, endocrine, inflammatory processes, glaucoma. Pressing pain appears in patients who abuse alcohol, smoke, as well as with prolonged eye strain in order to concentrate while reading, working at a computer, watching television.

Constantly increased eye pressure leads to the development of glaucoma, and it leads to a decrease in visual acuity, and subsequently to blindness. Most often, the disease develops in older people, so such patients should be especially careful when pressing pains in the eyes occur. There is a genetic predisposition to glaucoma. If someone in the family suffered from this disease, you should also consult a doctor in time when the first symptoms appear.  

An ophthalmologist will help determine the cause of increased intraocular pressure. If it is associated with inflammatory processes, then special antibacterial drops will help get rid of pressing pains. When confirming the presence of glaucoma, serious conservative treatment is required, and in some cases it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.  

If your eyes hurt from the computer, what should I do?

In recent years, more and more often there is a “computer vision syndrome”. It is typical for people who spend a significant part of the day behind the monitor. This provokes the development of temporary myopia, decreased sensitivity and visual acuity, and there are difficulties in the work of the eye muscles. The negative impact of the computer is due to the monotony of the alphanumeric image, flickering and pulsing of the display. In addition, constant concentration of attention is required, which also causes increased eye strain. As a result, the organs of vision are very tired, blood circulation is disturbed in them and there is a lack of oxygen. This leads to the accumulation of metabolic products in the tissues. Normalization of blood circulation is carried out by expanding the capillaries, so the eyes turn red in such cases. The rupture of small vessels also gives the same effect. Along with redness after a long work at the computer, pain in the eyes appears. Possible dry eye syndrome.

Over time, such negative consequences of working at a computer can lead to the development of myopia or other serious diseases, weakening of visual acuity, and in some cases even to its complete loss.

To prevent this, you need to follow these recommendations:

• Arrange the workplace so that the light falls on the right. Artificial lighting should be moderately bright and uniform. In this case, one table lamp or floor lamp will not be enough. At any time, there should be no glare on the monitor, so in case of strong sunlight from the window, close the blinds or use thick curtains;

• The monitor is positioned so that the top of the monitor is below eye level. The bottom should be slightly tilted. This will reduce stress and minimize eye fatigue.

• It is recommended to print in dark letters on a light background. If typing is from a paper source, it should be placed as close as possible to the keyboard and monitor. So you have to make fewer head movements, which means that it becomes possible to reduce eye strain. It also adjusts the brightness of the monitor. It should be carried out, focusing on your own feelings;

• The optimal distance from the screen to the eyes is at least 50 cm;

• When working at a computer, you should take breaks every 40-45 minutes. At this time, it is necessary to perform gymnastics for the eyes: without changing the position of the head, look left and right, up and down several times, perform circular movements; move the pupils from side to side, representing the figure eight; gently massage the eyes with your fingers; blink frequently several times in a row. Periodically, it is recommended to briefly close your eyes with your palms, giving them the opportunity to relax and rest; 

• Drink more water. Dehydration of the body provokes headaches and eye pains, and prolonged work at the computer intensifies them;

• Use special goggles. Before purchasing them, you should consult an ophthalmologist. After all, improperly selected glasses can lead to visual impairment. When choosing a particular model, you need to focus on your own feelings. There are several types of glasses for working at a computer: single-focus, two-focus and three-focus. They differ in the field of view and the nature of the distortion of objects located in the peripheral field of view;

• The monitor and the glasses should be regularly wiped with wet wipes designed for this purpose. The presence of dust leads to the fact that attention is scattered, and you have to strain your eyes additionally;

• Those who spend a lot of time at the computer should take vitamins and include foods rich in useful elements in their diet. Among them are blueberries, carrots, which contain vitamin A, beef liver and eggs, which are a source of B vitamins. Pharmaceutical complexes should be taken periodically. On sale are also special teas that have a positive effect on vision;

• If your eyes hurt from a computer, various drops help get rid of discomfort. However, many of the drugs are addictive, so they should be used after consulting a specialist;

• Peering into the monitor, many rarely blink. As a result, the syndrome of “dry eye” occurs. This means that the mucous membrane is not sufficiently hydrated. Dry eyes cause discomfort, pain, they are especially felt while watching TV or working at a computer. Special drops help to cope with this phenomenon.

Cationnorm – cationic emulsion without preservatives in the composition, is prescribed for severe dryness and pain in the eyes, eliminates unpleasant symptoms from the first application, restores the tear film, protects and prevents further development of the syndrome. Does not affect the quality of contact lenses, can be dripped directly onto the optics. It is used for eye diseases such as blepharitis, glaucoma and allergic conjunctivitis.

Okutiarz – eye drops based on ultra-high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, similar in effect to natural tears: they moisturize for a long time and relieve pain in the eyes. They are prescribed for episodic dryness and discomfort of the eyes that occur after prolonged eye strain at work (for office workers, students, motorists). Drops without preservatives can also be used over contact lenses.

If your eyes hurt with a cold or flu, what should you do?

The most common cause of eye pain with a cold or flu is sinusitis or inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. This is a consequence of the underlying disease, which leads to swelling of the nasal septum and increased mucus production. As a result, the passages to the paranasal sinuses are filled with it, which causes excessive pressure and pain. The movement of sputum and air between the sinuses and the nose is also difficult.

Antibacterial drugs can cope with this cause of discomfort. In general, sinusitis is not dangerous for the organs of vision, despite the proximity of the source of infection to the eyes, and rarely leads to their serious diseases. However, it makes it uncomfortable. In addition, eye pain with a cold is often accompanied by tearing. As the sinusitis progresses, the patient can hardly tolerate bright light. To reduce discomfort, drops should be used and compresses should be made, for example, with herbal decoction. But getting rid of pain is possible only if their cause is eliminated, so you need to treat the cold or flu that caused them. To reduce discomfort in the eye area, it is necessary to try not to create excessive pressure: gently clear the nose of mucus, alternately pinching the nostrils.

If the eyelid is swollen and the eye hurts, what should I do?

Allergy, infectious or viral damage to the whole organism can lead to a tumor of the eyelid. Another reason is inflammation of the sinuses, lack of vitamins, mechanical damage, foreign particles in the eye, overwork, excess fluid, and the use of low-quality cosmetics. A tumor of the eyelid is usually accompanied by pain and redness, severe itching, scales of a specific color appear on the granite area of ​​uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe eyelashes. If they are carefully removed, a reddened eyelid is found under them. Together, these symptoms may indicate barley, dacryocystitis, furuncle, or erysipelas.

The tumor of the lower eyelid can also be non-inflammatory in nature. This means that it is caused by serious cardiovascular diseases, kidney or stomach problems. In the eye area, fat sometimes accumulates and a fatty hernia is formed. You can get rid of it as a result of surgical intervention.

Angioedema is another possible cause of eyelid swelling. Quincke’s edema always develops suddenly in response to the influence of specific allergens. They are certain products, flower pollen, cosmetics and medicines. To get rid of the swelling of the eyelids, it is necessary to cope with the swelling. To do this, eliminate the source of allergies and provide emergency ambulance.

In any case, if eyelid tumors are important, first of all, to identify the cause of such a reaction of the body and eliminate it. To reduce swelling, wash your eyes with a weak solution of boric acid or strong tea leaves. After that, a hydrocortisone ointment must be applied to a dry eyelid. As an alternative, a mixture of brilliant green with castor oil can be used. Good compresses from raw potatoes, cucumber, ice reduce swelling. They can be done daily.    

If your eyes hurt from welding, what should you do?

Pain that occurs after working with a welding machine is known in medicine as electrophthalmia. The cause of this phenomenon is a physical burn, which is similar to the sun. It is caused by ultraviolet radiation through exposure to the cornea. The high sensitivity of this tissue causes pain and irritation at the burn site.

The negative impact of welding can be determined by a number of signs.

• As a rule, with an ultraviolet burn of this type, swelling and clouding of the corneal epithelium are observed, the protein acquires a reddish tint.

• A person cannot look at bright light, his tearing increases.

• One of the main symptoms of electrophthalmia is blepharospasm. This is an involuntary contraction of the eye muscles, which leads to a tight closure of the eyelids. When they open, there is severe pain. With electrophthalmia, patients seem to have foreign particles in their eyes, which makes them want to scratch them. This should not be done so as not to increase discomfort. Indeed, after this burn, the feeling of sand in the eyes is caused by the inflammatory process itself. You should also not use various drops without prior consultation with your doctor. They cause even more irritation of the mucous membrane.

On the first day after getting a burn from welding, you should not resort to folk methods: instill aloe juice, honey in your eyes, rinse them with tea. All this will only increase the discomfort. Washing the eyes with running water also does not give a positive effect. The pain of a welding burn cannot be alleviated by the cooling effect. In addition, if tap water is used for washing, the elements contained in it, such as magnesium, potassium, will cause irritation of the mucous membrane.

At home, to combat pain in the eyes from welding, it is necessary to use only vasoconstrictor drops:

• Vizin

• Prokulin

• Visoptin

They will reduce swelling of the cornea, reduce inflammation, and relieve redness. Treatment with drops can be carried out for 3 days. Pain medications, such as Lidocaine, will help to cope with discomfort. They are also buried in the eyes. The healing of corneal erosions is accelerated by ophthalmic antibiotics: Levofloxacin, Tobramycin. The main purpose of using anti-inflammatory drugs for the discomfort caused by a welding burn is pain relief. They can be presented in the form of tablets (Diclofenac) or powders (Nimesil). 

If after 3 days the treatment does not give positive results, the pain becomes stronger, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist. In some cases, it is even worth calling an ambulance. A sharp deterioration in vision during the first day after receiving a welding burn also indicates the need to contact a specialist. In the absence of treatment, the development of various diseases, clouding of the cornea is possible. The main danger after a burn from welding is a decrease in visual acuity. Timely qualified assistance will help to avoid this.

Eyes hurt when you move them, when you turn – what is it?

Pain when moving the eyes can be caused by extra-ocular and ocular causes. The first group includes diseases such as colds, sinusitis, migraine. They cause severe intoxication of the body. As a result of this, complications such as conjunctivitis and scleritis appear, the negative impact manifests itself in the form of pain in the oculomotor muscles. Often, the infection damages the nerve endings, which leads to discomfort. They get stronger when you move.   

Eye pain can be caused by blepharitis, oculomotor neuritis, myositis, and glaucoma. With blepharitis, the tissues of the eyelid become inflamed, so it not only causes pain in the eyes when moving, but also their redness and swelling. Neuritis of the oculomotor nerve is very rare. It is difficult to make such a diagnosis on your own, it can only be done by an experienced ophthalmologist, and consultation with a neurologist is also necessary.

With myositis, the muscles that move the eyeball become inflamed. The treatment of this disease involves the refusal to perform small work. Thus, it is possible to relieve tension and minimize the pain that appears and intensifies when moving the eyes. You can also compress with tea bags. The most serious cause of discomfort when moving the eyes is glaucoma. With this disease, you should contact an ophthalmologist, as it can lead to complete loss of vision. The sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of saving it.

Eyes hurt from light, what to do?

Eye pain from light can be caused by certain diseases (conjunctivitis, keratitis, iritis), inflammation of the cornea, or body characteristics. Discomfort appears after a long work at the computer. At this time, the mucous membrane of the eyes dries up, so they react painfully to bright light and wind. With a lack or absence of a special pigment – melanin, photophobia also develops.

One of the most common causes of eye pain from light is keratoconus. Among the symptoms of this disease are blurry contours of objects, poor vision in the dark, difficulty reading text typed in small print. Gradually, photophobia is added to all these signs. Wearing special contact lenses, special hardware procedures and surgical operations help to cope with the disease.

To get rid of pain in the eyes caused by bright light, you need to find out their cause. Eliminating it, you can get rid of discomfort. Sunglasses help to minimize discomfort. It is only important to choose a comfortable and high-quality model with a high degree of protection.   

Nausea with eye pain

Nausea with eye pain is the most common symptom of a migraine. Her attacks are always sudden and accompanied by numbness of the limbs. The main manifestation of migraine is severe pain, usually in one half of the head. In such cases, the patient is advised to stay in bed.

The use of pain medications may not be effective, which means that you have to wait until the attack passes. It is impossible to predict its reappearance. Pain in the eyes, accompanied by nausea, in migraine worse in bright light. Therefore, it is recommended to stay in bed in a dark, quiet room until the main symptoms of the disease have passed. Cooling compresses can help relieve eye pain.       

How to treat eye pain?

Before treating eye pain, its cause should be identified:

• When tired. If overwork has led to discomfort, prolonged work at the computer or watching TV should be allowed to relax the organs of vision. You can perform a set of special exercises, and then relieve tension with the help of compresses. Well help to relieve such pain ice cubes. They should be wrapped in a towel or napkin, and then applied for 5-7 minutes on the eyes. As a compress, it is convenient to use brewed tea bags or herbal tincture.

• With diseases. When discomfort is caused by various diseases, you should seek help from a doctor. Self-treatment with various drops can lead to a negative result. Eye preparations are often addictive, and their overdose can lead to blurred vision and other side effects. For this reason, most drops are only used for a few days. In some cases, conservative treatment does not allow you to cope with pain in the eyes. But only an ophthalmologist can determine the need for hardware procedures or surgery.

• When hit by foreign objects. Foreign objects in the eyes are a common cause of pain. Rinse the eye with plenty of water and then remove the particle. The main thing is not to rub or comb it, otherwise you can bring an infection. The natural way to remove the mote is if you blink frequently for a long period of time. Thanks to tearing, the mucous membrane of the eye is cleared of foreign objects.

• With barley and conjunctivitis the pain goes away on its own. However, in some cases, drops or compresses can be used to avoid complications. The most effective drugs are interferon, levomycetin, albucid. Before instillation, it is necessary to disinfect with a decoction of chamomile, prepared at the rate of 2 tablespoons of dry herbs per 200 ml of liquid, or with tea leaves. With barley, a cold compress from boron water or a warm one based on a decoction of flax seed helps well. Conjunctivitis and styes usually go away after a few days. If there is no improvement, you should consult a doctor.

Author of the article: Degtyareva Marina Vitalievna, ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist