When a patient complains of eye pain asking the right questions often helps determine the cause of the pain. This makes the diagnosis and treatment easier. It is helpful to distinguish between eye pain caused by external factors such as a foreign body on the surface of the eye and internal pain caused by elevated intraocular pressure or internal ocular inflammation.
External Causes of Eye Pain
Material such as dust particles, metal fragments, cat hairs, and eyelashes feel like there is a particle in the eye. These are easy to find and remove. They can cause a scratchy feeling in the eye. Sometimes a foreign body is lodged under the inside surface of the upper lid and can only be removed by everting the upper lid. If the foreign body is embedded in the cornea it can cause a corneal abrasion. A corneal abrasion feels like there is something in the eye. Dry eye can also cause external irritation and dry eye patients often complain of burning and feeling something in their eyes. Dry eye, superficial corneal or conjunctival foreign bodies rarely cause blurred vision or photophobia (light sensitivity). External irritation associated with photophobia and/or blurred vision suggest a more serious condition such as a corneal ulcer.A sty can also cause a foreign body sensation.
Internal Causes of Eye Pain
Episcleritis is an inflammation of the outer layer of the sclera, the white of the eye. This often presents with localized redness and tenderness to touch. Uveitis, an inflammation of the inner eye is associated with eye pain. The pain is usually felt inside the eye and does not feel like there is something in the eye. Inflammation of the front portion of the inner eye is called iritis and causes photophobia. Optic neuritis, an inflammation of the optic nerve, is associated with pain on eye movement.
Other Causes of Eye Pain
Migraine, sinus disease, and glaucoma can also cause eye pain. Even eye strain from wearing the wrong eyeglass or contact lens prescription can cause eye pain. Pain following eye surgery can be a sign of infection and requires immediate attention. Pain following trauma to the eye can also indicate a serious condition.
Contact Lens Irritation Part 2: Dry Eye Dry eye is a very common cause of contact lens problems and contact lens intolerance. It causes wearers to feel as if there is something in their eyes, a foreign body sensation in their eyes, as if there is grit or dirt in the eye, and eye pain when......
Conjunctival Hemorrhage - Blood in the Eye One of the most frequent "emergency" visits in my office is due to a conjunctival hemorrhage. This is what it looks like: /caption] Although this looks dramatic and scary it is quite harmless most of the time especially if not accompanied by any discomfort and without a history of trauma......
9/11 9/11 Walking to my office on East 25th Street in Manhattan on the morning of September 11, 2001 I was struck by the beautiful clear sunny sky. Like everyone else enjoying the fall weather I did not know how terrible this day would be for my city and my country.......
Senator Barak Obama Has A Head Tilt August 18, 2008 Noah Klein, MD Noah Klein, MD, PC Senator Barak Obama Has a Right Head Tilt Watching the Saddleback Church Forum with Pastor Rick Warren interviewing Senator Barack Obama on Saturday August 16, I was struck by the marked and obvious tilting of the Senator’s head......
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve often associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP). Elevated IOP alone is not enough to make the diagnoses of glaucoma. Some patients may have glaucoma when their IOP is within normal limits. This is called Normal Tension Glaucoma (NTG). Conversely......
CORNEAL ULCER Eye pain, redness, light sensitivity and decreased vision can be caused by a corneal infection called an ulcer. A corneal ulcer is a collection of white blood cells in the cornea which is sometimes visible as a white dot in the cornea. You can get more information here. If you......
VIRAL CONJUNCTIVITIS - PINK EYE Dr. Noah Klein Noah Klein, MD, PC August 4, 2009 Red eyes with itching, tearing, clear discharge and a foreign body sensation (feeling of something in the eye) can be caused by a virus. This is called viral conjunctivitis or “pink eye” and can be quite uncomfortable.It may be difficult......
5 Ways to Relieve Migraine Headaches Naturally! There are many new migraine headache treatments available that can be both safe and effective. Natural treatments for migraine headaches are usually safer and cheaper than traditional pain medications. And in many instances they can relieve pain just as well or even better than prescription or non-prescription drugs. The possibility......
Is Stress Making You Fat? If you're living a stressful life and wondering why those pounds keep creeping on, there is scientific evidence that has proven that stress can actually make you fat. The good news is that there are many ways you can combat stress and start getting healthy. But first, let's look at......
Don’t mind me… I’m hittin’ the JUICE! Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. ~World Health Organization, 1948 I’m going to do a little something different this week by sharing with you my own wellness experience with products that are unlike any I’ve tried......
Fat Loss Strategies - Top 8 Strategies You Must Do To Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals Part II We're still counting down the top 8 things you MUST do to for fat loss. Can you stand the anticipation? Read on! 4. Drink Water: Often when you think you are hungry, you are often actually dehydrated. Additionally, all the metabolic processes in your body occur in water. Being adequately......
Vasectomy Pain - Debunked! Vasectomy, as most of us know is the process whereby a surgery is performed on the ductus deferens of a man so that there are no further ejaculations. This is largely done to plan children in a family. Contrary to common belief, the surgery is harmless and in fact, it......
The Common Cold Fall and winter are prime season for the common cold. Colds are annoyances that interfere with work, play, and our workouts. Wouldn’t it be great if we never caught a cold again? Well, there are some things you can do to decrease your chances of getting a cold as well......
Sheep gives birth to human-faced lamb [/caption] A SHEEP gave birth to a dead lamb with a human-like face. The lamb was born in a village not far from the city of Izmir, Turkey. Erhan Elibol, a vet, performed a caesarean on the animal to take the lamb out, but was horrified to see that the......
Eye pain, redness, light sensitivity and decreased vision can be caused by a corneal infection called an ulcer. A corneal ulcer is a collection of white blood cells in the cornea which is sometimes visible as a white dot in the cornea. You can get more information here. If you suspect that you have a corneal ulcer then do not delay getting an Ophthalmological evaluation. Prompt diagnoses and rapid treatment are key to successful treatment and raise the odds of preserving vision. This is an Ophthalmological emergency.
Modern antibiotic drops can treat bacterial corneal ulcers successfully if the diagnoses is made early and the drops started promptly. Corneal infections caused by a fungus or an organism such as an amoeba can be devastating and may require a corneal transplant.
REMEMBER
Avoid sleeping in contact lenses,
always wash hands prior to handling contact lenses,
wash and replace contact lens cases, and sterilize the lenses in a good sterilizing solution.
Replace the lenses on schedule.
Do not try to “stretch” the wearing interval beyond the lens specifications.
The risk of getting a corneal ulcer is not worth it.
Contact Lens Irritation Part 1: Contact Lens Solution Dr. Noah Klein Noah Klein MD, PC Many patients present to my office complaining of eye redness, eye irritation, and a foreign body sensation (feeling of grit or sand in the eye) when wearing their soft contact lenses. They feel this way even when they try on a brand new pair......
9/11 9/11 Walking to my office on East 25th Street in Manhattan on the morning of September 11, 2001 I was struck by the beautiful clear sunny sky. Like everyone else enjoying the fall weather I did not know how terrible this day would be for my city and my country.......
Senator Barak Obama Has A Head Tilt August 18, 2008 Noah Klein, MD Noah Klein, MD, PC Senator Barak Obama Has a Right Head Tilt Watching the Saddleback Church Forum with Pastor Rick Warren interviewing Senator Barack Obama on Saturday August 16, I was struck by the marked and obvious tilting of the Senator’s head......
Conjunctival Hemorrhage - Blood in the Eye One of the most frequent "emergency" visits in my office is due to a conjunctival hemorrhage. This is what it looks like: /caption] Although this looks dramatic and scary it is quite harmless most of the time especially if not accompanied by any discomfort and without a history of trauma......
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve often associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP). Elevated IOP alone is not enough to make the diagnoses of glaucoma. Some patients may have glaucoma when their IOP is within normal limits. This is called Normal Tension Glaucoma (NTG). Conversely......
Contact Lens Irritation Part 2: Dry Eye Dry eye is a very common cause of contact lens problems and contact lens intolerance. It causes wearers to feel as if there is something in their eyes, a foreign body sensation in their eyes, as if there is grit or dirt in the eye, and eye pain when......
EYE PAIN When a patient complains of eye pain asking the right questions often helps determine the cause of the pain. This makes the diagnosis and treatment easier. It is helpful to distinguish between eye pain caused by external factors such as a foreign body on the surface of the eye and......
How To Buy Reading Glasses There are many people who face the problem of reading for various reasons. In most cases, the issue of aging seems to be the core of these reasons. To this effect, many will resort to reading glasses to aid their reading effort. The importance of this device can't be overlooked......
Replacing Your Smoke Alarms If you have an older home, or if you aren’t quite sure how old your smoke alarms are, it’s a good time to think about replacing them. Even if you have regularly replaced your batteries in your smoke alarms, they may become less effective as they get older. Some of......
Get Important Tips About What Can I Do To Get My Ex Boyfriend Back Are you feeling like, no matter what you do, you push your ex boyfriend away even further? Is this an accurate description of your situation? Do you find yourself repeatedly asking "how do i get my ex boyfriend back"? Here are some tips that will greatly improve the odds of......
The Best Home Remodeling Investments If you're ready to renovate, why not incorporate some of the best home remodeling investments into your plan? You may already be planning them without realizing that they're improvements that won't just make your home a more beautiful and pleasant place to be, but will increase its market value. Some......
See the Value with Contact Lenses 70% Below Retail Cost Anyone who's ever had to get an eye exam and either glasses or contact lenses understands that it can be quite the expense. Especially if you don't have adequate health insurance to cover your eye care costs. You can now order Acuvue Oasys contact lenses online, and reduce some of......
Save Money on Glasses and Contact Lenses [/caption] I was cleaning my glasses the other day and like the butter fingers I am, dropped them. A lens popped out. I instantly thought, "Great, I'm going to have buy new glasses now." (I should note that I'm new to the glass-wearing crowd.) I suddenly thought, "What would happen......
Stem Cells Repair Damaged Corneas in Mice; Procedure may someday replace transplants in people Image by GogDog via Flickr Stem cells injected into the eyes of mice with defective corneas returned the corneas to a more normal appearance, a new study has found. Researchers hope the procedure might one day be in humans. About 40,000 such transplants are done each year in the......
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve often associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP).
Elevated IOP alone is not enough to make the diagnoses of glaucoma. Some patients may have glaucoma when their IOP is within normal limits. This is called Normal Tension Glaucoma (NTG). Conversely many patients have IOP elevation and never develop glaucoma. This is called Ocular Hypertension (OHT).
If you are confused by this, don’t worry, you are not alone. Most patients and many physicians have difficulty understanding glaucoma. We are used to concentrating on numbers. Hypertension is defined as blood pressure above 140/90. Diabetes is followed by measuring the blood sugar and the hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1C). So it is natural for the IOP measurement to be the focus of glaucoma diagnoses and treatment.
But glaucoma is different from hypertension and diabetes. Aside from intraocular pressure measurements the function and structure of the optic nerve must be evaluated when evaluating glaucoma. Calling IOP measurements a “glaucoma test” and the use of IOP measurements in “glaucoma screenings” is inadequate and misleading.
The best way to evaluate a patient for glaucoma is:
- Obtain a complete medical history including a review of systems and family history concentrating on a family history of glaucoma and a history of migraine.
- Visual acuity, slit lamp exam, IOP measurement and careful examination of the optic disc are the minimum examination techniques required in glaucoma evaluation.
If the medical history is negative and the physical eye exam normal then this is an adequate “glaucoma screening.” IOP measurement alone is not good enough.
If the medical history is positive or the eye exam suspicious then further testing is necessary, such as ultrasonic pachymetry – measurement of corneal thickness, computerized visual field testing and photographic imaging of the optic disc. The optic disc is the portion of the optic nerve that is visible when looking at the ocular fundus, the inside of the eye.
I have only touched on the surface of glaucoma evaluation. More information is available here, here, here and here.
Conjunctival Hemorrhage - Blood in the Eye One of the most frequent "emergency" visits in my office is due to a conjunctival hemorrhage. This is what it looks like: /caption] Although this looks dramatic and scary it is quite harmless most of the time especially if not accompanied by any discomfort and without a history of trauma......
BLEPHARITIS Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. Patients often complain of red eyes, eye irritation, itching, foreign body sensation (feeling of something in the eye), ocular discharge, crusting and flaking of the eyelashes. Some get red pimples on the eyelid and refer to them as styes. Get more information here. Most......
Contact Lens Irritation Part 1: Contact Lens Solution Dr. Noah Klein Noah Klein MD, PC Many patients present to my office complaining of eye redness, eye irritation, and a foreign body sensation (feeling of grit or sand in the eye) when wearing their soft contact lenses. They feel this way even when they try on a brand new pair......
Senator Barak Obama Has A Head Tilt August 18, 2008 Noah Klein, MD Noah Klein, MD, PC Senator Barak Obama Has a Right Head Tilt Watching the Saddleback Church Forum with Pastor Rick Warren interviewing Senator Barack Obama on Saturday August 16, I was struck by the marked and obvious tilting of the Senator’s head......
VIRAL CONJUNCTIVITIS - PINK EYE Dr. Noah Klein Noah Klein, MD, PC August 4, 2009 Red eyes with itching, tearing, clear discharge and a foreign body sensation (feeling of something in the eye) can be caused by a virus. This is called viral conjunctivitis or “pink eye” and can be quite uncomfortable.It may be difficult......
9/11 9/11 Walking to my office on East 25th Street in Manhattan on the morning of September 11, 2001 I was struck by the beautiful clear sunny sky. Like everyone else enjoying the fall weather I did not know how terrible this day would be for my city and my country.......
Contact Lens Irritation Part 2: Dry Eye Dry eye is a very common cause of contact lens problems and contact lens intolerance. It causes wearers to feel as if there is something in their eyes, a foreign body sensation in their eyes, as if there is grit or dirt in the eye, and eye pain when......
Stem Cell Contact Lens Help Blind To See Again Image via Wikipedia Stem Cell Research using the patient’s own Adult Stem Cells has brought us another great discovery- Stem Cell Contact Lens. In Australia, a group of doctors in a research study treated 3 patients who had some form of cornea problems and they all were able to......
Two Studies Show Non-Drug Alternatives to Lowering Blood Pressure Blood pressure is used to describe readings measured in millimeters of mercury when taken with a blood pressure machine. Normal blood pressure should be 120 over 80. If a person has blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg, it is considered to be âhigh blood pressureâ. The medical industry refers to......
High Blood Pressure Symptoms Tip If you are searching for information related to high blood pressure symptoms or any other such as american heart association cookbook, dll module not found, measurement of blood pressure using or omron blood pressure cuff you have come to the right article. This piece will provide you with not just......
Two Studies Show Non-Drug Alternatives to Lowering Blood Pressure Blood pressure is used to describe readings measured in millimeters of mercury when taken with a blood pressure machine. Normal blood pressure should be 120 over 80. If a person has blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg, it is considered to be “high blood pressure”. The medical industry refers......
More Hunting Terms Blind Planter - This is a name for the person that places the bird or the bumper at a designated spot for the purpose of a blind retrieve. Blink - This describes the situation when the dog locates the bumper or the bird during the retrieve but does not actually......
Choosing Hunting Optics Selecting hunting optics is going to be a really big priority if you are a hunter or a rifle shooter. Having good optics is going to give you a serious advantage when it comes to general accuracy as well as long distance shooting accuracy. Some of the optics that you......
High Blood Pressure Medication Related Guide If you are looking for information about high blood pressure medication, you will find the below related article very helpful. It provides a refreshing perspective that is much related to high blood pressure medication and in some manner related to lifesource blood pressure monitors, audio device not found, blood pressure......
Red eyes with itching, tearing, clear discharge and a foreign body sensation (feeling of something in the eye) can be caused by a virus. This is called viral conjunctivitis or “pink eye” and can be quite uncomfortable.It may be difficult to differentiate between a viral conjunctivitis and an allergic conjunctivitis. Here are some tips.
Viral conjunctivitis is likely if:
The patient recently had an upper respiratory infection (URI), a cold. If so then most likely the same virus has caused the conjunctivitis.
There is a tender pre-auricular lymph node on the same side as the conjunctivitis. If yes then a virus is the likely cause. This lymph node is just in front of the tragus of the ear. The tragus is the bump before the external auditory canal (the ear opening).
The pink eye started in one eye and then went to the other eye, but in a milder form. This is characteristic of viral conjunctivitis.
The patient had contact at work or home with someone who has a pink eye. If so then the viral infection which is very contagious has spread from that other person.
<!–noadsense–>
Allergic conjunctivitis is likely if:
<!–noadsense–>
The patient has a history of allergy and it is now allergy season.
Symptoms are relieved by anti-histamine drops or pills.
Aside from itching and red eye none of the above criteria exist.
<!–noadsense–>
Treatment
Unfortunately, aside from relieving symptoms, there is no treatment for viral conjunctivitis. It should resolve in 7-10 days just like the common cold. Antibiotic drops do not cure a viral conjunctivitis and nothing but good hygiene can prevent it from spreading to others. Lubricating eye drops and cool compresses help the symptoms.
<!–noadsense–>
Most of the time the condition resolves with no permanent effects. Rarely, a few weeks after the infection is gone the patient experiences photophobia (light sensitivity), foreign body sensation and possible blurred vision. Corneal infiltrates cause this and the patient must be evaluated by an ophthalmologist right away. These may require treatment.
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? WHAT IS GLAUCOMA? Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve often associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP). Elevated IOP alone is not enough to make the diagnoses of glaucoma. Some patients may have glaucoma when their IOP is within normal limits. This is called Normal Tension Glaucoma (NTG). Conversely......
Conjunctival Hemorrhage - Blood in the Eye One of the most frequent "emergency" visits in my office is due to a conjunctival hemorrhage. This is what it looks like: /caption] Although this looks dramatic and scary it is quite harmless most of the time especially if not accompanied by any discomfort and without a history of trauma......
Computer Vision Problems Computer glasses and eye strain computer vision syndrome Do your eyes hurt or burn when looking at a computer screen? Do they tear, or feel tired after hours of computer use? Do you get headaches after staring at a CRT or LCD computer screen? Do you have neck or......
Contact Lens Irritation Part 1: Contact Lens Solution Dr. Noah Klein Noah Klein MD, PC Many patients present to my office complaining of eye redness, eye irritation, and a foreign body sensation (feeling of grit or sand in the eye) when wearing their soft contact lenses. They feel this way even when they try on a brand new pair......
BLEPHARITIS Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. Patients often complain of red eyes, eye irritation, itching, foreign body sensation (feeling of something in the eye), ocular discharge, crusting and flaking of the eyelashes. Some get red pimples on the eyelid and refer to them as styes. Get more information here. Most......
CORNEAL ULCER Eye pain, redness, light sensitivity and decreased vision can be caused by a corneal infection called an ulcer. A corneal ulcer is a collection of white blood cells in the cornea which is sometimes visible as a white dot in the cornea. You can get more information here. If you......
9/11 9/11 Walking to my office on East 25th Street in Manhattan on the morning of September 11, 2001 I was struck by the beautiful clear sunny sky. Like everyone else enjoying the fall weather I did not know how terrible this day would be for my city and my country.......
Multiple Sclerosis Cured in Canadian Patient After Stem Cell Treatment Image by Cuppojoe via Flickr Alex Normandin, 26, of Montreal, Canada has been cured of his Multiple Sclerosis following the implantation of his own Adult Stem Cells. The stem cell therapy was done in conjunction with a research program in Ottawa with Dr. Mark Freedman. A medical student, Alex......
Wallpaper Tips for Installation There are a lot of reasons to choose wallpaper over paint for the walls in your home. Wallpaper can add a real sense of class to a room with unique and eye-catching designs that a solid color of paint just can’t match. However, if you do opt for wallpaper you......
Gout Treatment-How Different Approaches Can Effectively Treat Gout Gout is undeservedly the subject of jokes but it shouldn’t be because of the serious nature of the condition and the considerable discomfort the sufferer finds him/herself in. Gout typically affects men over 40 and women over 50 but it can strike on other age groups as well. It is......
Choosing Your Discount Power Tools Part of the reason that most people decide to do their own repairs and maintenance around the house is because it’s much cheaper than hiring someone else to do it. However, a lot of jobs require specialized tools, and power tools in particular can be very expensive. A lot of......
Multiple Sclerosis Patients Are Symptom Free After Stem Cell Treatment Preston Walker and Richard Humphries are shining examples of how stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells are improving lives right now. Preston and Richard were the first two Multiple Sclerosis patients to receive stem cell treatment with their own cells derived from their fat. Stem Cell Treatment in the......
The Job Interview You’re thrilled and excited to have been invited for this interview for a new job. Perhaps it is a promotion within your current company or a whole new position elsewhere. This could be a new position offering more money or perhaps more responsibility. It any case, you want to put......
FOTD AL eyes and lips, Clinique fdn I loved these eyes on Nina when she posted them, so I thought I'd try them on me too. I love AL purples and their turquoises. Eyes: Base: Beauticontrol Pink shadowcontrol Lids: my sparkly mix, then AL Dollhouse plush; then AL ladystardust rocks! sonic eyes (because I couldn't find Imperial);......
Related Posts 
Conjunctival Hemorrhage - Blood in the Eye One of the most frequent "emergency" visits in my office is due to a conjunctival hemorrhage. This is what it looks like: /caption] Although this looks dramatic and scary it is quite harmless most of the time especially if not accompanied by any discomfort and without a history of trauma...... 
9/11 9/11 Walking to my office on East 25th Street in Manhattan on the morning of September 11, 2001 I was struck by the beautiful clear sunny sky. Like everyone else enjoying the fall weather I did not know how terrible this day would be for my city and my country....... 
Is Stress Making You Fat? If you're living a stressful life and wondering why those pounds keep creeping on, there is scientific evidence that has proven that stress can actually make you fat. The good news is that there are many ways you can combat stress and start getting healthy. But first, let's look at...... 
Don’t mind me… I’m hittin’ the JUICE! Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. ~World Health Organization, 1948 I’m going to do a little something different this week by sharing with you my own wellness experience with products that are unlike any I’ve tried...... 
Fat Loss Strategies - Top 8 Strategies You Must Do To Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals Part II We're still counting down the top 8 things you MUST do to for fat loss. Can you stand the anticipation? Read on! 4. Drink Water: Often when you think you are hungry, you are often actually dehydrated. Additionally, all the metabolic processes in your body occur in water. Being adequately...... 
The Common Cold Fall and winter are prime season for the common cold. Colds are annoyances that interfere with work, play, and our workouts. Wouldn’t it be great if we never caught a cold again? Well, there are some things you can do to decrease your chances of getting a cold as well...... 
Sheep gives birth to human-faced lamb [/caption] A SHEEP gave birth to a dead lamb with a human-like face. The lamb was born in a village not far from the city of Izmir, Turkey. Erhan Elibol, a vet, performed a caesarean on the animal to take the lamb out, but was horrified to see that the...... 
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=0266b343-eb74-48b7-a8b5-0072635fdd4c "Reblog this post [with Zemanta]")
