What Facts Should You Know About Eye Pain?

  1. Eye pain is often described as burning, sharp, shooting, dull, gritty, a feeling of "something in my eye," aching, pressure, boring, throbbing, or stabbing. People sometimes confuse pain originating from the eye with other symptoms, such as a headache, sinus pain, toothache, or a migraine.
  2. Seek emergency medical care for eye pain if you've experienced a chemical or flash burn, a traumatic event, or have accompanying vision loss.
  3. Treatment depends upon the cause of the eye pain.


Eye pain is a very common reason for people to seek medical care from their family doctor or an ophthalmologist, a medical doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases.


What Causes Eye Pain?

Causes of eye pain fall into two broad categories: ocular pain and orbital pain.


  • Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye problems. Conjunctivitis can be an allergic, chemical, bacterial, or viral inflammation of the conjunctiva (the delicate membrane lining the eyelid and covering the eyeball). Pinkeye is a nonmedical term usually referring to conjunctivitis caused by a respiratory virus, because the conjunctiva gets inflamed and turns a pinkish color. Conjunctivitis is usually not associated with the symptom of pain. Itching, redness, and drainage are typical symptoms and signs associated with conjunctivitis.
  • Corneal abrasions and corneal ulcerations are common conditions that cause eye pain. The cornea is the transparent surface of the eye, and it contains many pain-sensitive nerve endings. Abrasions occur from scratches to the surface of the cornea, such as from trauma, a foreign body in the eye, or overuse of contact lenses. Ulcerations occur from primary infections of the cornea or infected abrasions.
  • Keratopathies are a variety of conditions of the cornea and can be a cause of ocular pain.
  • Foreign bodies, usually located on the cornea or in the conjunctiva, are objects or materials that give the sensation that something is in eye. Foreign bodies produce eye pain similar to that of corneal abrasions.
  • Chemical burns and flash burns can be significant causes of eye pain. Chemical burns come from eye exposure to acid or alkaline substances, such as household cleaners or bleach. Flash burns occur from intense light sources when improper or no eye protection is worn while performing arc welding or being exposed to the ultraviolet rays of tanning booths. Even an intense sunny day can cause a corneal flash burn from reflected ultraviolet light.
  • Blepharitis is a condition that causes mild eye discomfort when plugged oil glands at the eyelid edges cause inflammation of the eyelid.
  • A sty or a chalazion causes eye pain because of local irritation. Either of these conditions cause a lump you can see or feel within the eyelid. The lump is a result of a blocked oil gland within the eyelid. This lump causes irritation to the eye, can be very painful to the touch, and may occur in both children and adults.
  • Acute angle closure glaucoma can cause severe ocular or orbital pain. However, most cases of glaucoma are of the open-angle variety and are painless. An increase in intraocular pressure, or internal eye pressure, causes glaucoma. This can ultimately lead to defects in vision and even blindness if left untreated. Intraocular pressure can increase because of a blockage of outflow or increased production of aqueous humor (the fluid that bathes the inner eye). Glaucoma typically occurs in older adults.
  • Iritis is an inflammation of the iris, or colored part of the eye, that causes one to feel deep eye or orbital pain, usually accompanied by blurred vision and light sensitivity.
  • Scleritis is a rare cause of severe eye pain and is often associated with systemic illness.

Orbital pain is described as a deep, dull ache behind or in the eye. This pain is often caused by diseases of the eye.


  • Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects to the back of the eye. The cause of this inflammation can be from multiple sclerosis, viral infections, or bacterial infections and can cause symptoms such as pressure behind the eye together with changes in vision and eye pain, especially on movement of the affected eye.
  • Sinusitis, which is a bacterial or viral infection or allergic reaction in the sinuses, can cause a sensation of orbital or eye socket pain. Pain coming from the sinus cavities can be interpreted as eye pain.
  • Migraines and cluster headaches are a very common cause of orbital eye pain.
  • Painful ophthalmoplegia is the combination of orbital pain and eye muscle weakness. In addition to pain, there is double vision when both eyes are open. Causes include various inflammatory conditions of the orbit.
  • Tooth pain resulting from problems with the upper teeth may present as pain in the orbit or below the eye.
  • Traumatic events, such as a penetrating injury to the eye, a blow to the eye with a foreign object, and motor vehicle collisions, are causes of significant eye pain and injury. Scratches to the cornea typically associated with traumatic events are very painful. These are common eye problems that lead people to seek medical attention.

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