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.

causes light sensitvity

• 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......
• 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......
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• 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......
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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......
• 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......
• 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......
• 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......
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• 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......
• 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......

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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 wearing soft contact lenses.

Mild dry eye conditions can often be alleviated by contact lens moisturizing drops, but it is important to pick the right one. If moderate or severe dry eye syndrome exists then wearing soft contact lenses will be impossible without treatment of dry eye.

Even patients with very dry eyes can be helped with new treatments. A complete cure for dry eye with very comfortable contact lens is possible.

Some patients come in with contact lens irritation, unable to wear contact lenses. They have been to several other eye doctors Ophthalmologists or Optometrists. I treat them step by step starting with changing the contact lens solution (see here), inserting punctal plugs, and if needed prescription eye drops which can cure the underlying dry eye syndrome. I am as patient as the patients are. If they stick with my treatment program a vast majority of them become happy contact lens wearers. I help patients who have been told they cannot wear contact lenses anymore.

The cure for dry eye is also the road to successful LASIK refractive eye surgery.

• 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......
• 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......
• 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......
• Ocular Melanoma and Routine Ophthalmoscopy August 6, 2008 Noah Klein, MD Noah Klein, MD, PC   Ocular Melanoma and Routine Ophthalmoscopy   I examined a 50 year old healthy woman today who came in for stronger reading glasses.  Because she had not had a dilated eye exam (ophthalmoscopy) for years I dilated her pupils and......
• 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......
• 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......
• 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......

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