Have you been experiencing frequent headaches and pain behind your eyes? To find out if your eyes could be triggering your headaches, here’s more about the symptoms, causes, and signs you should see an eye doctor.
Dry Eyes
Having dry, itchy eyes can cause corneal pain, blurred vision, and even headaches. It’s a common condition that can be fixed with eye drops or a lubricating ointment, but if it doesn’t improve, you should talk to your eye doctor. Your symptoms could be a sign of Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) that could require medications or even surgery to correct and treat.
Eye Strain
Most headaches in relation to vision are triggered by eye strain. Eye strain can produce discomfort, light sensitivity, fatigue, blurred vision, and migraines. It happens when your eyes get tired from intense use, often a result of spending too much time in front of the computer or your mobile device. But it can also occur if you have an outdated or incorrect eyeglass prescription or an underlying eye problem that needs treatment.
Inflammation
If your eyes become inflamed and swollen, it can be quite painful. Eye movement and light exposure can lead to pain in and around the eye area and cause headaches to form. If the symptoms are persistent or associated with a bulging eye, it’s important to have your eyes tested to ensure it’s not something serious.
Optic Nerve Conditions
The optic nerves in your eyes can become severely swollen if there’s pressure in the brain. This can result in headaches that are concentrated around or beyond the eyes. But if the pain is accompanied by blurred vision or whooshing sounds in the ears, have it checked. A brain tumor could be the cause of the swollen optic nerve, so it’s important to see your eye doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.
Glaucoma
Most people don’t experience any pain with glaucoma. However, some people experience mild attacks that cause pain in and around the eyes. If you experience significant eye pain, red eyes and blurred vision, a trip to your eye doctor should follow.
Temporal Arteritis
Another condition that can cause headaches and eye issues is temporal arteritis. This form of blood vessel inflammation causes the arteries under the skin at the side of the head to swell and block blood flow. Headaches are a common symptom but those suffering from arteritis may also experience muscle tenderness, jaw weakness, and even night sweats. Arteritis is considered a serious condition because once the visual loss occurs, it often doesn’t improve even with treatment, so early detection is essential.
If you are experiencing constant eye strain or believe that your headaches are the result of an eye condition, come see us at Laurier Optical. Our optometrist will test your eyes and suggest a treatment method for you!