In ophthalmology, pain in the eye is one of the most common reasons for visiting a specialist. Unpleasant sensations in the visual organ can vary in intensity. Sometimes the solution to a problem lies on the surface when it comes to a foreign body enters the eye, but often a thorough diagnosis is required to determine the cause of the discomfort. aif.ru told about what the appearance of such a symptom can lead to and what signs you need to pay attention to ophthalmologist Marina Zimina.
The main factors causing pain in the eye
If there is discomfort in the eye, it is important to determine not only the nature of the pain, but also the area in which the discomfort appears. They can either be localized in the orbit itself or concentrate around the visual organ. There can be quite a few reasons for concern:
- foreign body – often a feeling of discomfort occurs due to some particle entering the eye, and a person may experience severe lacrimation;
- inflammatory diseases of the surface of the eyeball (conjunctivitis, episcleritis);
- inflammatory diseases of the anatomical structures surrounding the eyeball (dacryocystitis, dacryoadenitis);
- injuries – pain in the eye can often be caused by various mechanical damage (bruises, blows);
- reaction to the use of contact lenses – if contact lenses are selected incorrectly, as well as poor-quality or too hard material, severe discomfort may be observed;
- electroophthalmia – pronounced pain with accompanying redness of the eye is a consequence of a condition that occurs due to interaction with ultraviolet radiation, for example, when there is contact with a switched on quartz lamp;
- inflammation of the cornea of the eyeball (keratitis) – with this ophthalmological disease, a person notices severe discomfort in the eye, photophobia, and a noticeable narrowing of the palpebral fissure. And when keratitis is localized in the center of the cornea, vision in the affected eye will also decrease. There is another condition called recurrent corneal erosion that causes similar symptoms. An episode of exacerbation of such a disease during treatment is replaced by complete recovery, but after some time it repeats again, hence the name of the disease – “recurrent” erosion;
- glaucoma – with angle-closure glaucoma, intense pain is observed, accompanied by migraines and often nausea. An attack of angle-closure glaucoma occurs due to an increase in intraocular pressure, closure of the fluid outflow pathways from the eye and requires immediate treatment;
- inflammation of the optic nerve – in this case, unpleasant sensations are concentrated when the eyeball moves;
- inflammatory process of the choroid (uveitis) is a disease accompanied by redness of the eye, the appearance of pain and causing a decrease in visual acuity.
In addition, there are ophthalmological diseases such as open-angle glaucoma and retinal detachment, which are not accompanied by pain. And this is the danger, because a person does not see a doctor in a timely manner and may lose his sight.
Treatment: Key Methods
For infectious causes of the disease, a course of antibacterial therapy is prescribed. This must be done by a specialist – there should be no uncontrolled use of antibiotics.
If a foreign body enters, the particle is removed by an ophthalmologist, followed by the prescription of antibacterial and healing drugs.
For any injuries, the patient receives immediate assistance from a specialist to preserve the anatomy of the visual organ and its basic functions.
During an attack of angle-closure glaucoma, a course of medications is prescribed to reduce intraocular pressure, and in some cases laser or surgical treatment is performed.
For electroophthalmia, painkillers and antibacterial drugs are prescribed.
It is important to know that the treatment of eye pain does not have universal prescriptions. In each specific case, the doctor individually selects the necessary medications. You should not self-medicate and waste time – it is better to visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Source: aif.ru
