Symptoms and causes

Dry, sore eyes

Sore eyes combined with a dry, gritty feeling could be caused by dry eye syndrome. Constantly sore and dry eyes may even water more, as the eyes respond to the dryness and irritation with excess tears. Have a look at the information on dry eyes and watery eyes for more details.

Itchy, red, sore eyes

Allergies and eye infections can both cause your eyes to feel sore, red and itchy. Often, itchy or irritated eyes can become sore after excessive rubbing. The eye infection conjunctivitis is a particularly common cause of sore, red eyes. Contact lens irritation can also cause sore, red eyes.

Sharp eye pain

An injury to the eye or trauma can often cause sharp or stabbing eye pain. In extremely rare cases, sharp or stabbing eye pain can be a symptom of a much more serious condition, such as a brain tumour or aneurysm. However, a much more common cause is simply a headache or migraine that feels as if it is directly behind the eye.

If you experience sudden eye pain combined with blurred vision, haloes around lights, nausea or vomiting, it could be symptom of acute closed-angle glaucoma. This is a medical emergency, and you should seek medical attention straight away.

Dull eye pain

If you experience a dull, aching eye pain, or pain that feels deep within your eye, it may simply be caused by eyestrain or overuse of your eyes. However, if the pain does not subside, it could be a symptom of a more serious condition or eye disease such as glaucoma.

Treatment

It’s really important to see your eye specialist or doctor if you encounter eye pain, especially if the pain does not subside. While it’s unlikely your sore eyes will be a symptom of a very serious condition, it’s still a possibility, and you should get an expert diagnosis.

Treatments obviously depend on the cause, and can be as simple as using eye drops or compresses for dry eyes and allergies, to medication and surgery for more serious eye conditions.
 

Whatever the cause of your eye pain, our specialists can help you, with expert diagnosis and the most advanced treatments. Make an appointment today to discuss your sore eyes with one of our eye doctors.