Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEye StrainVision ProblemsMigraineCluster HeadachesTension HeadachesSinusitisDry EyesScleritisOptic NeuritisDental IssuesOutlook
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Eye Strain
Vision Problems
Migraine
Cluster Headaches
Tension Headaches
Sinusitis
Dry Eyes
Scleritis
Optic Neuritis
Dental Issues
Outlook
Pain behind the eyes can have several possible causes, including eye-related causes like dry eye syndrome and problems unrelated to the eyes, like migraines. The pain can feel like a dull ache,sharp pain, explosive pain, or a deep headache.Eye painor headaches behind the eye may happen along with other symptoms such as red eyes, tearing, sensitivity to light, and vision changes.
Your eye doctor or another healthcare provider will need to evaluate your eye health to find the source of the pain. A proper diagnosis isn’t always easy.
Don’t ignore persistent pain behind your eyes. It’s usually not serious, but sometimes it signals a serious condition.
Eye strain is common in people who spend a lot of time looking at screens, such as people who work with computers. You may also experience eye strain after spending time reading, driving long distances, or doing another activity where you are required to look at something for long periods of time. Glare, poor lighting, and underlying vision problems can also contribute.
Treatment
Eye strain can be treated with rest and over-the-counter artificial tears. These eye drops lubricate the three-layer tear film that covers the eye and helps it to work more effectively to protect the eye surface. When purchasing eye drops, look for brands that do not contain preservatives as they cause irritation in some people.
Poor vision is sometimes behind eye pain. It can accompany:
This type of eye pain may be treated with new corrective lenses. You may also be able to make changes to your environment that can help. For example, experts recommend keeping a humidifier near your workspace and placing your computer screen so that you gaze slightly downward to see it.
Some people may also benefit from computer glasses. You can ask your eye doctor for more suggestions.
People withmigrainesoften complain about throbbing pain behind one eye.
Hormones can play a role in migraines. However, other triggers can also cause a migraine to develop. These can include:
Migraine treatmentcan include:
Some people with migraines have strange visual auras that restrict their peripheral vision. These generally go away in less than 20 minutes.
Cluster headachesare extremely painful headaches that cause pain behind the eyes.They can come on suddenly and reoccur at regular intervals over a 24-hour period. They may also be tied to seasonal changes.
Scientists believe the hypothalamus in the brain may be involved. The hypothalamus controls the way your nervous system and endocrine (hormonal) system interact.
Your hormones fluctuate in patterns during the day and over the seasons. Cluster headaches tend to follow a similar pattern.
Cluster headaches affect men more often than women.Treatments include:
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. Symptoms can include pain behind and around the eyes as well as in your forehead and temples. Neck pain is also common.
This type of headache happens because of overtight muscles in the neck and scalp. You may get a tension headache if you sleep in an uncomfortable position or if you clench your jaw when you’re asleep. You can also get a tension headache after you’ve been doing close work for long periods.
Sinusitisis inflammation of the sinuses. It andsinus infectioncan cause pain around the eyes.
Treatments depend on suspected causes. They may include:
Some people only have isolated incidents of sinusitis. For others, it may recur often or become chronic.
Dry eye syndromeis more than just dryness. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:
There are many options for treating dry eye syndrome, including:
Simple solutions like using a humidifier in your home and workspace can also help.
Thesclerais the tough outer coating of the eyeball.Scleritisis inflammation that develops inside the sclera.
Scleritis causes pain behind the eye or when the eye moves. You may also notice redness and light sensitivity.
Depending on the cause, scleritis may be treated with:
Dry Eyes, Scleritis, and AutoimmunityDry eye and sclerosis are common symptoms of several immune-system diseases, especially:Sjögren’sdiseaseSystemiclupus erythematosusRheumatoid arthritisSclerodermaInflammatory bowel disease
Dry Eyes, Scleritis, and Autoimmunity
Dry eye and sclerosis are common symptoms of several immune-system diseases, especially:Sjögren’sdiseaseSystemiclupus erythematosusRheumatoid arthritisSclerodermaInflammatory bowel disease
Dry eye and sclerosis are common symptoms of several immune-system diseases, especially:
Optic neuritiscan cause pain behind the eye or with eye movement.It’s an inflammatory condition of the optic nerve, which connects the eyes to the brain.
The optic nerve plugs into the back of your eye. Moving your eyes can tug on it. When the nerve is inflamed, that causes pain.
Dental problems can cause pain in other parts of the face, including the eyes.This type of pain happens when the nerves that travel to your eyes carry pain from the jaw.
If you experience pain behind the eye, you may feel frustrated or anxious until you find the root cause of your discomfort. Identifying the culprit can help you to find the best treatment and improve your outlook.
For immediate relief of eye pain, you can try home remedies. It is also helpful to understand signs and symptoms that warrant a visit to your healthcare provider.
Home Remedies for Pain Behind the Eye
For minor issues, you can try home remedies to help reduce the pain. Some of these include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Call your healthcare provider or seek emergency medical attention if:
Sudden pain behind the left eye could be a sign of a brain aneurysm, which requires emergency medical treatment. Other symptoms that may indicate a brain aneurysm include:Severe headacheNausea and vomitingVision problems and light sensitivityDrooping eyelidStiff neckLoss of consciousness
Sudden pain behind the left eye could be a sign of a brain aneurysm, which requires emergency medical treatment. Other symptoms that may indicate a brain aneurysm include:
Summary
It may also be felt behind the eyes while having nothing to do with the eyes themselves. Sinus pressure, migraines, and cluster headaches can all cause pain in that area.
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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