Pain and itching in the eyes - causes and treatment

The eyes are the most important organ through which we learn up to 90% of the information about the world around us. But unfortunately, it often happens that we experience discomfort - our eyes can hurt, get tired, itch, and water. In today’s world, there are plenty of “enemies” for vision – just look at the flickering screens of all kinds of electronic devices, for example.

Where does pain and itching in the eyes come from? What will a specialist do to find out the cause of their occurrence? What health problems might these or other symptoms indicate? Let's take a closer look.

Causes of eye pain

The most common situation is the occurrence of pain , stinging in the eyes due to the presence of an irritant.

Such an irritant can be:

working at the computer too often and for long periods of time
working in low light conditions
ultraviolet exposure
other factors including the screens of various devices and 3D glasses in the cinema.

Pain in the eyes when working at the computer for a long time

about the need to “unload” the eyes when working at a computer . Meanwhile, even if we follow all the safety rules, we are not immune from unpleasant consequences. A computer means exposure to harmful radiation (electromagnetic, ultraviolet), screen flickering, graininess, glare, and many other stress factors for the eyes.

Office workers and other people who spend many hours every day in front of a monitor most often experience pressing pain in the eyes and a feeling of heaviness. They usually indicate so-called visual fatigue . If unpleasant sensations recur frequently, be sure to consult a doctor - the health of your eyes is at risk.

If discomfort is combined with a feeling of dry eye (dry eye syndrome), be sure to get examined by our ophthalmologist - most likely, you need to additionally moisturize your eyes using special drops and wear glasses for working at a computer. These glasses come in several varieties; it is best to choose the one that suits you together with your doctor.

Eye pain due to poor lighting

If you often work in low light conditions , you will most likely experience similar problems: heaviness in the eyes, pain, a feeling of “sand in the eyes.” All these are symptoms of the same visual fatigue. This is due to the fact that when the lighting is incorrect, the eyes have to strain additionally to recognize the image.

Eye pain due to ultraviolet exposure

It is difficult to imagine anything as harmful to our vision as ultraviolet radiation . The main source of UV rays is the sun (which is why wearing sunglasses is not a fashionable whim, but one of the rules of “ophthalmic safety”), but there are other sources of radiation that can cause irreparable damage to vision.

For example, welding . Even in childhood, they explain to us that we cannot look at it, but even adults often do not immediately remember this. At the same time, unprotected contact of vision with welding is fraught with serious burns and, if it continues long enough, even complete blindness.

If it turns out that you were unable to protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation and now you are reminded of this by symptoms such as ripples in the eyes, shaking of the image combined with pain, immediately contact an ophthalmologist for urgent help.

Eye pain when visiting 3D cinemas

3D glasses in movie theaters these days aren't doing your vision any favors either. In addition to the fact that they are reusable items and can be a source of infections (including eye infections), the very mechanism due to which the three-dimensional image effect occurs involves “multidirectional” work of the left and right eyes, which is certainly harmful (especially if in such an abnormal mode, vision works for 2-2.5 hours). Pain in the eyes may result from visiting a 3D cinema hall.

High blood pressure may cause eye pain

It also happens that a person lives in a fairly sight-friendly mode, without abusing reading, working in the dark, or even using a computer, but pain in the eyes still occurs. The cause of throbbing, severe pain in the eyes may be a disruption of the blood vessels .

Often pain in the eyes is a companion to high blood pressure .
Pressure may also increase locally, causing pain. Increased intraocular pressure is the main symptom of a dangerous disease - glaucoma, which requires constant medical supervision. As a rule, with increased intraocular pressure or blood pressure, pain in the eye is accompanied by flashing spots, spots, and a headache. If you notice such conditions, do not hesitate to consult a doctor.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

In case of a burn or injury, you must immediately call an ambulance. Before the doctor arrives, in case of a burn, you need to thoroughly rinse your eyes with running water at room temperature. This will minimize exposure to the active substance. For washing at home, it is strictly forbidden to use acids or alkalis for the purpose of neutralization.

In case of injury, it is necessary to ensure functional rest, eliminate visual stress and eye movements. To do this, it is recommended to apply a binocular bandage. Independent removal of a foreign body can lead to expansion of the wound channel and additional trauma. In case of inflammatory diseases, it is important to follow the rules of personal hygiene and avoid uncontrolled use of antibacterial agents.

Conservative therapy

Therapeutic tactics depend on the etiology of eye pain. The prescription of etiotropic and pathogenetic drugs is justified. You should not give preference to physiotherapeutic and folk remedies for the purpose of relieving pain. Conservative treatment may include:

Analgesics
. Anesthetizing drops are used at the diagnostic stage, as well as before performing subconjunctival injections. In case of severe pain, oral analgesics are indicated, since local agents inhibit the regeneration process.
Antibiotics
. If the pathology is bacterial in nature, instillation of antibacterial agents is indicated based on the result of an antibiotic sensitivity test. Broad-spectrum drugs are used empirically. The average course of treatment is 7-10 days.
Antiseptics
. Prescribed in the presence of small foreign bodies located under the eyelids or in the area of the conjunctival fornix, if there are no signs of inflammation or deep damage to the tissues of the eye. Frequent instillations (every 2-3 hours) are justified for viral conjunctivitis.
Reparants
. These drugs promote corneal regeneration. Tissue repair stimulators are indicated for erosions, post-traumatic defects, and postoperative wounds. The duration of use varies from 10 days to 1 month.
Antihistamines
. For allergic conjunctivitis, pathogenetic therapy is reduced to the prescription of histamine blockers. However, the type of allergen should be determined and etiotropic therapy should be started by an allergist.

Causes of itchy eyes

Itchy eyes due to allergies

A separate problem, which, as a rule, has its own specific causes, is itching in the eyes . For the most part, it is associated with allergic reactions - due to the fact that the mucous membrane reacts violently to the irritant.

In this case, the eyes begin to water, swell and itch . If such symptoms appear, be sure to consult an allergist-immunologist - he will prescribe antihistamines that will help relieve unpleasant symptoms. And of course, limit contact with a possible allergen (plant pollen, cat fur), this will help avoid a recurrence of the reaction. If the allergen is not known to you, and in general you are not sure that it is an allergy, all the more rush to see a doctor. In our center you can undergo tests that will confirm allergies, and allergy tests that will allow you to determine the substance intolerable to you.

Infection may cause itchy eyes

Often itchy eyes have an infectious cause. For example, this is one of the typical manifestations of conjunctivitis , an inflammatory eye disease. With conjunctivitis, as a rule, the eyes become red and swollen. There may also be a discharge. This is a serious illness that requires compliance with a special regime (for example, it is recommended to use only a personal towel so as not to infect others) and the use of antibacterial drugs (prescribed by a doctor).

Mites can cause itchy eyes

Another cause of itchy eyes may be demodicosis . This disease is caused by microscopic demodex mites that live on the eyelashes. Normally, they do not interfere with a person and are not felt in any way, but with a decrease in immunity they can become more active, causing a burning sensation in the eyes, peeling of the skin of the face and eyelids, the development of pustules, etc.

An ophthalmologist at our clinic can determine the cause of demodicosis - often, this requires a detailed examination and examination of a freshly removed eyelash for the presence of parasites. The disease is unpleasant, but fortunately, it can be effectively cured with special medications.

Itching due to ill-fitting contact lenses

It happens that your eyes become swollen and itchy due to the fact that you have chosen the wrong contact lenses . In this case, again, he advises you not to delay visiting a specialist.

Intraocular hypertension and glaucoma

Intraocular hypertension is a pathological increase in intraocular pressure. The pressure that the intraocular fluid and vitreous body exert on the membranes of the eyeball. It can only be measured at an appointment with an ophthalmologist.

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Temporary increases in blood pressure can be caused by drinking alcohol, smoking, or eye strain. If the sensation of pain does not go away for a long time, then this is a symptom of glaucoma - one of the most common and dangerous diseases. It manifests itself as a decrease in visual acuity and over time can lead to complete blindness.

The insidiousness of glaucoma is that it develops gradually: in the first stages, a slight pressing pain may be the only symptom. The disease develops at any age, but most often in older people.

Delfanto® capsules - an alternative to eye fatigue drops

Recently, a unique drug appeared on the Russian market, the action of which is aimed at eliminating visual fatigue. These are Delfanto® capsules, which allow you to get rid of the effects of oxidative stress and stimulate the secretion of tear fluid (naturally).

The active component of the drug is the patented MaquiBright® extract. It is obtained from the Aristotelia Chilensis plant. Thanks to the use of innovative technologies, specialists managed to achieve a high content of antioxidants (from 35%) in Delfanto®. The drug has several advantages:

Efficiency. Already 14 days after starting to take the capsules, the first results of therapy are noticeable.
Safety. The active ingredient is produced in Germany according to GMP quality standards. It is certified according to GRAS requirements.
Compatible with ophthalmic drops. Capsules can be used together with synthetic tear substitutes. But already from 3-4 weeks the need to use tear fluid substitutes completely disappears.

The drug Delfanto® has a convenient release form - capsules for oral use. Just 1-2 capsules a day will help eliminate the effects of visual fatigue and improve the quality of life of patients.

Dangerous cases

An inflammatory process accompanied by damage to vision function.
Tumor of the eye or face, incl. benign or malignant (characterized by eye pain and headache).
Poor blood circulation in the vessels of the eye or optic nerve (threat of vision loss).
Serious hormonal disorders, incl. increased thyroid function.
Attack of angle-closure glaucoma. In this case, the eyes and head hurt badly, or the temple and eye on one side hurt badly, the pain is accompanied by blurred vision, and can be pulsating.
Acute throbbing pain in the temples and eyes (or pain in one eye and temple) can be a manifestation of migraine.

The eyes can be the target of aggression from the immune system. In this case, the immune system mistakenly recognizes some eye antigens as foreign and destroys them. This is a manifestation of autoimmune diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's disease and syndrome. Post-infectious autoimmune inflammatory processes of the eyes due to certain infections are also possible. For example, this is possible during or after suffering from syphilis, borreliosis, brucellosis, or viral hepatitis. In this case, we will offer you the help of specialized specialists: an immunologist and a rheumatologist. We recommend that you treat pain in the eye area with the utmost seriousness, especially when it comes to a diagnosis that is not entirely clear. It is very important to conduct a full examination and exclude dangerous and urgent conditions and achieve complete clarity in the diagnosis.

Useful video

Pain in the left eye is caused by physiological and pathological reasons. To eliminate physiological disorders, it is recommended to adhere to a healthy lifestyle and prevent chronic diseases. Pathologies of the ocular apparatus require careful diagnosis and selection of individual therapy. To prevent the development of complications due to diseases, it is necessary to promptly consult an ophthalmologist, regardless of the presence of symptoms.

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