Eye pain when looking down, have you experienced it? Do you think you have eye complications? In actuality, even a toothache can cause pain near the eyes. Several factors can cause pain in your eyes. In this case, it would be best to seek the help of an eye doctor. This way, you would be able to determine the exact cause of your eye pain. Additionally, you can receive treatment and prevent the condition from progressing.
Eye pain when looking down
Eye pain when looking down can only be one of the symptoms of an underlying cause. The actual cause of your eye pain could be something else. If these symptoms are worrying you, it would be best to seek medical help.
Meanwhile, this article can provide a list of the possible underlying cause of the pain in your eyes. You may want to look at them below and see if their symptoms match yours. This way, you would have a brief idea about your condition.
Eye pain may go on its own. However, if the pain keeps coming back, you should no longer neglect it. Otherwise, it could turn into something severe in the long run. The eyes have several parts where the pain may come from. The following eye parts or those around it may be the source of your eye pain.
- cornea
- sclera
- conjunctiva
- iris
- orbit
- extraocular muscles
- optic nerves
- eyelids
Eye problems can occur in any of these parts. In this case, only an eye doctor can distinguish which of these parts cause your pain. It would be best to do it as soon as possible to prevent severe eye complications.
Causes of Eye Pain
Here are a few conditions that could be the possible cause of why your eyes are hurting.
1 Amblyopia or Lazy eye
This eye condition involves one eye with a poorer vision than the other. Additionally, the other eye has a better focus, making it more potent than the other. A patient can determine this condition with the help of an eye exam. Some cases of the lazy eye are not evident. Meanwhile, the early detection of the issue can help increase the chances of treating it.
Symptoms:
- One eye wanders either inwards or outwards
- Eyes not synchronized
- Squinting or shutting an eye
- Head tilting
- Abnormal results of vision screening tests
2 Optic Neuritis
Optic neuritis occurs when there is an inflammation in the optic nerve. It can come out from an infection or nerve disease. Optic neuritis can heal on its own, but it often associates with pain.
Symptoms:
- Vision loss in one eye
- Pain around the eye (worsened by eye movements)
- Dyschromatopsia (inability to see colors correctly)
- Photopsia (seeing flashing lights off to the side)
- Unusual pupil reaction to bright light
- Uhthoff’s phenomenon or Uhthoff’s sign
3 Sinusitis
This health issue occurs due to allergies, infection, or chemicals irritating the sinuses. In effect, the sinuses will become swollen and inflamed.
Symptoms:
- Headache
- Fever
- Nasal congestion
- Bad breath
- Pain behind the eyes
- Ear pain
- Facial tenderness
4 Glaucoma
In this condition, there is a buildup of fluid in the eyes. This buildup causes the increase of pressure in the optic nerve. Furthermore, if the person who has this eye condition does not receive any treatment, it can lead to permanent vision loss.
Symptoms:
- Eye pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Blurry vision
- Eye redness
5 Iritis or Uveitis
These eye conditions occur when there is an inflammation inside the eye. It can either be from a trauma, an infection, or immune system-related problems.
Symptoms:
- Eye redness
- Eye pain
- Sensitivity to light
- Decreasing vision
6 Corneal Ulcer
Infection is the typical cause of the corneal ulcer. As a result, an open sore forms in the cornea. They also refer to this condition as keratitis.
Symptoms:
- Severe eye pain
- Tearing
- Eye redness
- Eye discharge
- Blurry vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Swelling of the eyelids
Realizations
As you can see, several conditions can cause eye pain. You can only determine the exact cause once you consult your eye doctor. Eye complications can become severe in the long run. Your eyes may look okay outside. However, the problem may lie behind your eyes.
The eye pain could be coming from the inner parts of the eye, such as the optic nerve. In this case, your eyes will experience difficulty in transferring the information to your brain. You will encounter not only pain but also other symptoms affecting your vision.
Eye pain when looking down can be a symptom only of an eye problem. It would be best to look into it further. This way, you can be sure that it is nothing serious. As they say, prevention is better than cure.
As soon as you felt unusual pain that does not go away or persistent, consult your doctor immediately. Remember, the eyes play a vital role for us to enjoy the quality of life. Without it, life will never be the same.
Food for thoughts
It would be best to take care of the eyes properly. The eyes deserve to rest as well. Additionally, a regular eye checkup is necessary to ensure that the eyes are in good condition. Besides that, you can prevent severe eye problems in the long run.
Generally speaking, most of us tend to take the eyes for granted and don’t rest. In the end, an eye pain when looking down can be the source of our deepest regret.
References:
Pain When Moving Eyes And Tilts Head To Look At Something, Melissa Conrad Stoppler, December 1, 2020, https://www.medicinenet.com/pain_when_moving_eyes_and_tilts_head_to_look_at_something/multisymptoms.htm
Eye Pain, Healthgrades Editorial Staff, accessed June 03, 2021, https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/eye-health/eye-pain
