Red, itchy eyes and throbbing, burning pain is a serious condition that should not be neglected. A person may describe eye pain as – burning, throbbing, stabbing, or gritty. Eye pain may be either ocular (in the eyeball) pain or orbital (the socket) pain.
There may be associated features such as – itching, blurring of vision, discharge, fever, etc.
Causes Of Pain In Eye And Eye Socket And Their Symptoms
Causes of ocular pain
- Conjunctivitis: Is a very common eye problem. There will be redness, mild pain, sensation of something in the eyes, discharge and itching. It is an inflammation of the lining or the membrane covering the eyeball.
- Corneal Abrasions: Abrasions and ulcers occur when there are scratches / cuts on the surface of the cornea. Scratches may occur because of the presence of a foreign body in the eye or due to an overuse of contact lenses. This causes continuous pain in the eye, blurry vision, watery eyes, and redness.
- Chemical Burns: Household cleaning products, bleach, welding sparks and tanning booths can cause chemical burns to occur in the eye.
- Blepharitis: When an oil gland located at the edge of the eyelid gets blocked, the eyelid gets inflamed, causing pain.
- Stye: A chalazion or a stye is a lump in the eyelid, which develops when an oil gland gets blocked.
Orbital pain causes
- Glaucoma: Develops when there is an increase in the intra ocular pressure. It causes diminished vision, even blindness if neglected and untreated. Usually, glaucoma is painless, occasionally, it could be painful though.
- Optic Neuritis: An inflammation of the optic nerve causes immense pain. Multiple sclerosis can lead to inflammation of the optic nerve.
- Iritis: Inflammation of the iris is responsible for pain. Trauma, systemic disorders such as – tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis can cause iritis.
- Injury: Trauma by a penetrating object or a blow causes pain in the eye.
- Sinusitis: An inflammation of the sinuses in the head can cause pain in the socket of the eyes.
- Migraine: Migraine causes agonizing pain in the head and the orbits.
Treatment For Eye And Eye Socket Pain
The eye is a very delicate organ; and any kind of discomfort must be attended to immediately without any delay. Left untreated, it could set off several complications – diminished vision or even blindness. You need to consult an ophthalmologist immediately. He will examine the eye thoroughly; ask you to carry out a few tests and investigations to ascertain the precise cause and embark upon suitable treatment regimen.
Based on the cause for the eye pain, your doctor will prescribe the correct medications. He will advise warm compresses, antibiotic eye drops, oral antibiotics, taking pain killers or anti-histamines, warm water washes and if necessary surgical intervention to manage the condition appropriately. Follow-ups with the ophthalmologist are essential too.
You should never neglect eye pain. Infections and inflammation of the eye tissue can result in irreparable vision loss and / or permanent problems regarding the movement of the eyes. The eye is a very vital and delicate organ, and you must take adequate care at all times.