We hear about sore eyes all the time, and the discomfort can range from a mild sting after a long workday to a dull ache that lingers into the evening. The pain can start on the surface of your eye or in the surrounding tissue, so the cause isn’t always obvious.
Many causes are mild and may improve with rest or dry eye therapy. Sudden or severe pain can point to something more serious that calls for emergency eye care. Your eyes can hurt because of dryness, strain, infection, injury, or pressure from nearby areas like your sinuses.
What Does Eye Pain Feel Like?
Eye pain can sit on the surface of your eye or deeper inside it, and each type tends to feel a little different. Surface pain often burns or feels scratchy, a lot like having an eyelash stuck under your lid.
Deeper pain is more likely to throb or ache. Some people describe it as pressure behind the eye, especially when it comes with a headache.
Pain in One Eye or Both Eyes
Notice whether the pain affects a single eye or both, and watch for other changes that show up with it:
- Redness in the white of your eye
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision
- Watery eyes
- Swollen eyelids
Jot these details down before your appointment. They give your optometrist useful clues about what’s going on.
Common Causes of Eye Pain
Most eye pain comes from a handful of everyday problems, and some of them overlap. Dry eye and screen use, for example, often show up together.
Dry Eye & Digital Eye Strain
Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t make enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly. It often feels gritty or burning, like sand under your lids, and dry indoor air or wind can make it worse.
Long stretches on a computer or phone can make it worse because you blink less when you stare at a screen. By the end of the day, your eyes may feel tired and sore. Try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 metres) away for 20 seconds.
Eye Infections
Pink eye can make your eye red and itchy. When bacteria cause it, you may also notice a sticky discharge that crusts your lashes together overnight.
If you wear contact lenses, sleeping in them or skipping proper cleaning can increase your risk of a painful infection on the cornea, the clear front surface of your eye. Take your lenses out and call your optometrist if your eye turns red and painful while you’re wearing contacts.
Eyelid Inflammation
Sometimes the eyelids cause the pain. Blepharitis inflames the edges of the lids and can leave them red and crusty along the lash line. A stye forms a tender bump on the lid, usually because an oil gland near the lashes gets blocked.
Warm compresses may help with both. Hold a clean, warm washcloth over your closed lids for a few minutes, a couple of times a day.
Scratches & Foreign Objects
A speck of dust or sand can scratch the surface of your eye and make every blink sting. And even after the speck is gone, the scratch can make it feel like something is still stuck in your eye. Don’t rub your eye, since rubbing can make the scratch worse.
Sinus Pressure & Allergies
Your sinuses sit right next to your eyes, so sinusitis can cause aching behind or below them, especially when you’re stuffed up from a cold. Eye allergies tend to make your eyes itchy and watery, and they often flare up during pollen season.
How to Ease Sore Eyes at Home
Mild soreness often improves with some simple care. Try a few of these steps:
- Close your eyes and rest them for a few minutes.
- Place a cool compress over your closed lids.
- Rinse out dirt or debris with sterile saline or clean, lukewarm water.
- Use lubricating eye drops (artificial tears) to add moisture.
- Wear your glasses instead of contacts until your eyes feel comfortable again.
If your eyes still hurt after 1 or 2 days, or the pain keeps getting worse, have them checked. An exam can help your optometrist find the cause and recommend the right treatment.
When Is Eye Pain an Emergency?
Some eye pain needs care the same day. Sudden, severe pain with redness and nausea can be a sign of angle-closure glaucoma, a buildup of pressure inside the eye that can cause vision loss within a day.
Get help right away if you notice any of these:
- Severe eye pain with any loss of vision
- Eye pain along with a headache or vomiting
- Halos around lights
- Something stuck in your eye that won’t rinse out
If a chemical splashes into your eye, flush it with cool water immediately and keep rinsing while someone arranges care.
Find Out What’s Behind Your Sore Eyes
Where your pain sits and how long it’s lasted can point toward a cause. A careful look at your eyes and eyelids can help confirm it.
The team at Insight Eyecare can examine your eyes closely and build a treatment plan around what we find. If your eyes are bothering you, book an appointment and bring your contact lenses or any eye drops you use so we can take a look.
