Why do my eyes ache and sore?

2 Inflammation and trauma in the eyeball area

If the eyes are sore and teary, this can be a sign of an inflammatory process that occurs in the outer part of the eye, that is, in the eyelids, conjunctiva, or cornea. Sometimes the inflammatory process spreads to deeper layers of the eyeball, for example, the vascular membrane of the eye.

One of the frequent complaints, due to which the patients get to the doctor, is conjunctivitis. In addition to pain in the eye, redness and photophobia there are discharge. The nature of the discharge from the eye depends on the etiology( bacterial, viral, allergic) disease. Sometimes the symptoms indicate allergic changes, there are cases when it is necessary to use local antibiotics if the inflammation is bacterial.

Another cause of pain in the eyes, namely in the eyelids, can be an acute bacterial inflammation of the glands, that is, the so-called barley. The disease proceeds in the form of an inflamed cyst located at the edge of the eyelid. In addition to the above-described changes, the following are observed additionally:

• pruritus;
• redness;
• lacrimation;
• conjunctival inflammation;
• swelling of the eyelids, which limits the field of view of the patient.

Barley undergoes often uncontrolled rupture, and in some cases passes into a chronic form - haljazion. Treatment of inflammation of the glands of the eyelids is reduced most often to the use of an ointment with an antibiotic, warm compresses on the eyes that support the healing process.

Inflammation of the cornea, like the conjunctiva, can have a bacterial, viral origin and develop on the basis of the so-called dry eye syndrome. In such a situation, a tear film breaks( "tear deficiency"), which under physiological conditions fulfills the protective functions of the eyeball.

Because the cornea is rather rich in nerve endings, all the pathologies that occur with the irritation of this part of the eye cause severe pain. In addition to unpleasant pain, patients complain of:

• redness of the eyes;
• photophobia;
• mucus;
• deterioration of visual acuity.

Depending on the diagnosis and probable etiology, the treatment is based on the use of local antibiotics and "artificial tears" in the form of drops.

If the eye hurts and tears, it may be due to inflammation of the choroid. In the acute state with pronounced inflammation of this layer of the eyeball, reddening of the eyes predominates. There are discharges and lacrimation from the eyes, photophobia, to which aggravation of visual acuity is attached. The diagnosis is made by a specialist on the basis of a thorough ophthalmological examination. Treatment is reduced, as a rule, to the use of glucocorticoids of local use.

If the eyes are sore and watery, the cause may be a trauma to the eyeball. It occurs most often as a result of an accidental direct impact. If the pain is accompanied by a double vision or a restriction of mobility of the eyeball, a check with the doctor is necessary, as this may indicate a violation of the orbit walls.

An attack of glaucoma is associated with a violation of the flow of fluid in the eye, and this leads to an increase in intraocular pressure. In addition to sudden severe pain in the eyes and head, visual impairment is observed. With palpation the eye becomes hard, pathology can lead to irreversible loss of vision.

Pain in the eyes can be a sign of diseases of the central nervous system. In the case where there are no ophthalmic disorders, the patient should be under the supervision of a neurologist. An example of pathology from the field of neurology with pain in the eye are retrobulbar neuritis, optic nerve tumors, as well as migraine and headaches. Sometimes the pain in the eyeball area can be associated with trigeminal neuralgia.

In the case of inflammation of the optic nerve, pain in the eye is intensified when the eyeball moves. This is accompanied by a deterioration in visual acuity, a central cavity in the field of vision, a violation of color discrimination( mainly red), which is characteristic of this pathology. Retrobulbaric neuritis is often the first manifestation of multiple sclerosis, so a neurological examination is necessary. Treatment consists of intravenous administration of glucocorticoids.

Migraines and headaches accompany eye diseases, sometimes with temporary deterioration of visual acuity, lacrimation, the appearance of a vacillating spot in front of the eyes.

1 What is the pain in the eyes?

Pain in the eyes - this is an anxious condition, which requires an examination with a doctor. What if this symptom does not give rest to the patient? In the case of severe pain in the eye, sudden deterioration of visual acuity, defects in the field of vision, double image, impaired mobility of the eyeball and exophthalmos require the help of a doctor.

An example of this kind of change is an attack of glaucoma, which in the absence of treatment can lead to an irreversible rapid loss of vision. Most of the most common pathologies and inflammatory diseases occur, accompanied by pain in the eye, conjunctiva and eyelids, can be identified with primary health care.

3 Lacrimation and other eye diseases

Lacrimation is a nonspecific symptom that accompanies many diseases of the anterior part of the eye. First of all, this is a typical symptom that accompanies all kinds of inflammation of the conjunctiva and the cornea. Abundant lacrimation often is a symptom of allergic inflammation, such as hay fever, during which there are abundant watery discharge from the nose, swollen eyelids and itching. In the case of allergies, it may be useful to use artificial tears that will wash allergens from the eyes.

Abundant lacrimation appears with corneal injuries caused by the presence of a foreign body in the eye. It is accompanied by a disturbance of the epithelium, severe pain and photophobia. Intensive blinking helps to eliminate the irritating factor from the eye, for example, grains of sand.

If the eye is peeling, a possible cause is the effect of irritants. The most common are the following:

• physical factors - sunlight, wind, dust;
• mechanical factors - improperly growing eyelashes, too long continuous wearing of contact lenses;
• chemical factors - smoke, vapors, gases;
• chronic adaptive efforts - in the case of visual defects( wearing glasses that do not match the eyesight);
• is a chronic sleep deficiency.

Causes of lachrymation may be associated with excessive production of tears, impairment of their outflow and occlusion of lacrimal passages. The narrowing of lacrimal points has an innate or acquired character.

Primary diagnosis of the causes of excessive lacrimation is based on optical examination.

Ophthalmologist assesses the state of various structures of the eyeball, that is, the eyelids, the edges of the eyelids, the conjunctiva, the cornea, the iris, the anterior chamber, and measures the intraocular pressure and examines the bottom of the eyes, the dilatation of the pupils. This allows you to conduct preliminary diagnosis and choose the appropriate treatment.