Eye Pain
Commonly described by patients as stabbing, dull, sharp and burning ache around the eye, eye pain is one of the usual reasons why people visit their physicians or their ophthalmologists. The aching can be categorized into two, namely acute and chronic. This condition can result from minor injuries or serious health problems. To identify the real cause of the problem, it is important that patients undergo medical tests recommended by doctors. By learning the true cause of the health condition, ophthalmologists can prescribe medicines that patients can take to relieve the pain. To learn more about eye pain, it is best to look at the common symptoms and causes of the problem. It is also beneficial to have ideas about the methods used by physicians to diagnose patients.
Eye Pain Symptoms
The usual symptoms of this medical condition include severe and shooting pain around or in the eye, complete or partial vision loss, extreme sensitivity to light and limited eye movement. Patients should also look at the symptoms that can indicate serious problems such as shooting pain accompanied with headache, eye protrusion, redness and swelling of the eyelids as well as excessive tearing or excessive eye discharge. If any of these symptoms occur, it is best to seek immediate help from medical doctors.
Causes of Eye Pain
One of the most common causes of the problem is conjunctivitis. This condition is caused by inflammation of the conjunctiva. Other possible causes of pain in the eye are corneal abrasions, chemical burns, blepharitis as well as glaucoma. Aside from these, the symptoms can also result from sinusitis, migraines, optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis.
Eye Pain Diagnosis
Ophthalmologists usually start the diagnosis by reviewing or evaluating the medical history of the patient. To know the cause of the aching, physicians may ask the patient about previous eye surgeries and reasons for using eyeglasses or contact lens. After reviewing the medical history, ophthalmologists will examine the affected area. They can use different medical instruments such as ophthalmoscope to examine the health condition.
Eye Pain Relief
If the pain is caused by exposure to chemicals, patients should immediately wash the eye with lukewarm water or with any eyewash solution. Patients who have conjunctivitis can use antibiotic eye drops, pain medication or eye ointment. Other safe treatments that they can use to relieve eye pain are anesthetic eye drops and antihistamines. Surgical procedures can also be performed by physicians if the recommended treatments have been ineffective.
