What To Do For Severe Eye Pain

If you are experiencing intense pain or blurry vision, it is essential to see a doctor or go to the emergency room immediately. Do not try to self-treat your symptoms with over-the-counter medications or eye drops. If you have an eye injury, do not apply any pressure to the area and avoid using eye medication until you have seen a doctor.

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Keeping Your Eyes Healthy & Happy

Your optometrist can diagnose and prescribe treatment for your eye pain, and conduct a comprehensive eye exam to help determine the cause of the problem.

If your pain escalates or other symptoms develop, Calgary Family Eye Doctors recommends seeking urgent medical care. If you are ever concerned feel free to give our office a call, we are here to help. Your vision is essential, and we want to make sure your eyes receive swift, quality treatment before any damage occurs.

Contact our knowledgeable and friendly team today if you have questions about eye pain, or would like to book an eye exam. Were always ready to help!

Chemical Contact To The Eye

Chemical contact from solids, liquids, powders, and aerosols can damage your eyes. Your eyes can become damaged within 5 minutes of exposure, so you must rinse your eyes right away.

Find a clean water source and flush your eyes for 15 to 20 minutes before seeking emergency care. Your eyes may feel better after a few moments of flushing, but continue to remove as much chemical residue as possible.

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Can Eye Pain Indicate Something Serious

Depending on the cause, eye pain may resolve without treatment. Or the problem may require medical attention.

You should contact your doctor if you experience severe eye pain or any discomfort that persists for more than a few hours. These symptoms can suggest a more serious underlying health condition.

What To Do In An Eye Emergency

You should visit a medical professional as soon as possible if youre having an eye emergency. For some conditions requiring emergent care like acute angle-closure glaucoma or pink eye, getting to your optometrists office is your priority.

Immediate care can help protect your eye health and reduce discomfort as you seek emergency treatment. In emergencies like foreign objects and chemical exposure, you need to take swift action before visiting your optometrist.

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What To Expect At Your Office Visit

Your provider will check your vision, eye movements, and the back of your eye. If there is a major concern, you should see an ophthalmologist. This is a doctor who specializes in eye problems.

To help find the source of the problem, your provider may ask:

• Do you have pain in both eyes?
• Is the pain in the eye or around the eye?
• Does it feel like something is in your eye now?
• Does your eye burn or throb?
• Did the pain begin suddenly?
• Is the pain worse when you move your eyes?
• Are you light sensitive?
• What other symptoms do you have?

The following eye tests may be done:

When Should I Be Concerned About Pain Behind The Eye

Many things can cause pain and pressure behind one eye. Any eye pain should be reported to your optometrist right away and especially if your pain comes with a high temperature, extreme light sensitivity, queasiness, or abrupt problems with seeing.

These symptoms indicate that something major could be going on. Your eye doctor has the necessary experience to detect this.

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Trouble Seeing At Night

Night blindness, when individuals can see perfectly well under adequate lighting but struggle in low lighting conditions, is a natural part of the ageing process. However, problems with nighttime vision may also indicate that you are beginning to develop cataracts. Cataracts can only be cured using surgery, but your eye doctor can recommend steps you can take to slow the progression of cataracts. For more information, and to get your eyes checked, make an appointment with your eye doctor.

Surface Eye Pain Problems

Pain felt on the surface of the eye may be related to the following.

• Allergies: Common allergies like hay fever will lead to itchy and scratchy eyes that may also become very red.
• Dry eye: The eye depends on natural lubricating tears to stay healthy, and without them, it is vulnerable to irritation and injury. Some people simply do not produce enough tears, while certain activities like staring at a computer screen can also lead to dryness.
• Abrasion: A scratch on the cornea from contact lenses or injury is known to be extremely painful.
• Infection: Viruses and bacteria can invade the surface of the eye, especially the conjunctiva, and cause pain, redness, and swelling.
• Foreign body: Anything from an eyelash to a piece of glass can lead to painful eye injuries.
• Chemical burn: Common household items like cleaning fluid can be dangerous to the eye.
• Contact lenses: Contacts can be harmful if not removed and cleaned regularly.

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Causes Of Sharp Eye Pain

Pain in the eye can be caused by any number of conditions or irritants. If your sharp eye pain doesn’t go away after rinsing your eye with lubricating drops, you should book an eye test or visit your GP. This is because sharp pain can also be caused by more serious conditions such as uveitis or glaucoma.

What Causes Sharp Pain In The Eye

There can be various reasons why you may experience eye pain. Whether it’s a sharp or dull pain, knowing where it is coming from can often help determine what could be causing it.

Certain types of eye pain can indicate conditions that can be easily treated after being picked up during an eye exam, while others may be more serious and require immediate attention.

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What Causes Pain Behind Your Right Eye

Eye pain can happen in a single eye or both of your eyes. While the cause may be severe in some instances, thats not always the case. Either way, reporting your symptoms to your eye doctor is an excellent way to monitor your pain progression and the likelihood of you having serious eye conditions.

Here are some primary reasons for pain behind your right eye:

When Is Eye Pain An Emergency

If you start experiencing vision loss with eye pain, this may indicate an emergency.

Other symptoms and side effects that require immediate medical attention include:

• Severe eye pain
• Dramatic vision changes

Most eye discomfort will fade with no or mild treatment. Eye pain and the underlying conditions that lead to it rarely cause permanent damage to the eye. However, this is not always the case.

Some conditions that lead to pain may also result in more severe eye problems if they are untreated. For example, the pain and symptoms resulting from glaucoma are an indication of an upcoming problem. If glaucoma is not diagnosed and treated, it can lead to vision problems and eventually complete blindness.

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How Can I Relieve My Eye Pain

If you are experiencing mild discomfort, there are several things you can do at home to help alleviate your symptoms. Try applying a warm compress to your eyes for a few minutes several times a day. You can also try over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines or artificial tears. If your symptoms persist or worsen, it is essential to see an eye doctor.

Connect With A Local Eye Doctor

The local vision care specialists at Complete Eye Care of Medina have the technology and diagnostic experience to help treat eye pain and a variety of other vision issues. We take a consultative, one-on-one approach to family eye care, answering any questions or concerns while working alongside you to manage your vision eye health needs. Complete Eye Care of Medinas comprehensive eye exams will keep you and your family informed and protected, so you can pursue the appropriate treatments for you. Contact us to schedule an appointment we cant wait to serve you.

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Sharp Eye Pain And Acute Angle

Acute angle-closure glaucoma should be treated as a medical emergency. This condition is caused by a rapid increase in pressure inside your eye, leading to severe eye pain and other symptoms such as blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, headache, and seeing halos around lights.

Acute angle-closure glaucoma can be treated with medication or laser surgery. If youre experiencing these symptoms, you should see an optometrist or doctor immediately.

How Does A Medical Provider Diagnose Serious Causes Of Red Eye

First, your provider will gather information about your symptoms. Then they will examine your eyes and check your vision.

Testing with special equipment is often helpful. This could include:

• Ophthalmoscope: This is a magnifying lens and flashlight used to look inside the eye .

• Woods lamp: This is an ultraviolet light that can show corneal abrasions, ulcers, and keratitis.

• Slit lamp: This is a magnifier with a strong beam of light focused into a vertical line. It reveals details on the surface of the eye.

• Tonometer: This measures the pressure inside of your eye to check for glaucoma.

• Ultrasound: This checks structures inside of the eye.

Your provider might also order lab tests to look for infection or autoimmune disease. In some cases, you might get a referral to an eye specialist for more evaluation.

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Sudden Sharp Pain In The Eye

A common cause of sudden sharp pain in the eye is if a foreign body goes into your eye. When dirt, dust, or a foreign object gets into the eye, it can cause irritation and sharp pain. To resolve this at home, try flushing your eye with lubricating drops. If you wear contact lenses, remove them and rinse them out with the cleaning solution. If there is something sharp visible in your eye, dont try to remove it yourself, but call your optometrist for advice. They might recommend you pop in and see us for some help.

If you cant see anything in your eye but pain persists, its a good idea to see your optometrist, to get to the bottom of whats going on.

Symptoms Of An Eye Injury

We recommend seeking immediate medical attention anytime you experience swelling, redness, or pain in your eye, especially if it occurs after an injury or having a foreign object or chemical in your eye. When left untreated, these injuries can damage your eye even more, leading to partial and/or permanent blindness.

If youve injured your eye and experience symptoms, you may also need emergency eye care. While not all eye injuries require emergency care, we suggest seeking immediate medical attention if you have:

• Eye pain that doesnt lessen on its own
• Eye pain accompanied by a headache

Some eye scratches may also need medical care. If you think youve scratched your eye but you dont know with what, dont rub it, which can make your scratch worse. Instead, try rapidly blinking your eye to see if you can remove the debris.

Wash your hands and look in your eye to see if you can find anything. Look under both your bottom and top lid . Opt for artificial tear eyedrops to flush your eye and rinse away any foreign object. If this doesnt solve your problem, seek emergency eye care.

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What Does Left Eye Pain Mean

Multiple sclerosis and other conditions or infections are often to blame. Symptoms include loss of vision and sometimes deep discomfort when you look from side to side. Sinusitis: An infection in one of your sinuses. When pressure builds up behind your eyes, it can cause pain on one or both sides.

Why do I get pain behind my eyes?

Sinus inflammation. Also referred to as sinusitis, sinus inflammation causes pressure and pain behind your eyes and tenderness in the front of your face. Throbbing pain from a migraine headache almost always includes pain behind the eyes. This condition is caused by the buildup of intraocular pressure.

Sudden Loss Of Vision

If you lose your vision entirely, even if it comes back after a short period of time, its important to seek urgent medical advice. “Amaurosis fugax is a temporary loss of vision in one or both eyes due to a lack of blood flow to the retina. This needs urgent investigation as it could be a precursor to a stroke,” explains Longhurst. As this could be a symptom of a serious condition, it’s important to seek emergency care.

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When To See A Doctor

If other methods are not working and your eye pain persists, the following treatments with the help of your physician may be beneficial.

• Slit-lamp exam: An eye doctor can take a close look at both eyes to determine the underlying cause of eye pain such as injury, foreign body, or infection.
• Glasses or contact lenses: Correcting vision problems is an important step in addressing eye discomfort.
• Prescription eye drops: A doctor may prescribe more potent eye drops to treat an infection or lower the pressure behind the eye.
• Surgery: In rare cases, a procedure in the operating room may be necessary to address your eye problem.

Why Do I Have Pain Behind My Right Eye

12-05-2020

If you ever have eye pain, its important to call your eye doctor right away. Your eye doctor can tell you the underlying cause of your eye pain and recommend a treatment plan.

Anytime you call an optometrist about eye pain, here are some questions you may need to answer:

• Which eye hurts?
• Are you experiencing stabbing pain behind your eye and a headache?
• Do you have sharp pain behind your right eye?
• How would you rate your eye pain on a scale of 1-10?
• What are your other symptoms?

Where your eye pain is can make a difference in the cause of your pain. If you have pain behind your right eye, for example, heres what you should know.

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What Causes Uveitis

Many cases of uveitis are linked to a problem with the immune system . For unknown reasons, the immune system can become overactive in the eye.

Less often, uveitis can be caused by an infection or an eye injury, and it can also happen after eye surgery.

In some cases, a cause cannot be identified.

Read more about the causes of uveitis.

What Is Pink Eye

Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is a common condition that causes redness and inflammation of the eyes. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, allergies, or irritants. A foreign body can also cause it in the eye. Pink eye is usually not severe and will resolve within a few days. However, if you experience severe symptoms such as vision changes or pain, it is essential to see a doctor.

Try applying a warm compress to your eyes for a few minutes several times a day. You can also try over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines or artificial tears.

If you are concerned about your eye pain, please call your doctor or immediately go to the emergency room.

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When To Get Medical Advice

Contact a GP as soon as possible if you have persistent eye pain or an unusual change in your vision, particularly if you’ve had previous episodes of uveitis.

The GP may refer you to an eye specialist who will examine your eye in more detail.

The specialist may suggest further tests if uveitis is diagnosed, including eye scans, X-rays and blood tests. It’s important to establish the cause of uveitis because it will help determine what treatment is needed.

Why Does My Eye Hurt When I Blink

Many factors can cause pain when you blink. In some cases, the pain will regulate itself, and at other times, the pain can indicate something more severe. How do you know when to contact your optometrist?

At Calgary Family Eye Doctors, we want our patients to experience worry-free, clear, and healthy vision. Weve put together some information to help determine the difference between normal eye pain when blinking, and eye pain that requires emergency care.

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What Are The Causes Of Eye Pain

There are many different reasons why you may be experiencing eye pain. It could be an infection, inflammation, a foreign object in your eye, such as contact lenses, or a more severe condition such as glaucoma. If you are experiencing any pain and other symptoms such as vision changes, redness, or discharge, it is essential to see an eye doctor.

When Should I See A Doctor

If you are experiencing eye pain, it is essential to see a doctor to rule out severe underlying conditions. With mild symptoms, there are several things you can do at home to help alleviate your discomfort. Try applying a warm compress to your eyes for a few minutes several times a day. You can also try over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines or artificial tears.

If you have an eye injury, it is essential to see a doctor. If you cannot see a doctor immediately, try to avoid rubbing or touching your eyes, and do not apply any pressure to the area. You should also avoid using eye medication until you have seen a doctor. If you are experiencing severe pain, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

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