Why Do I Have Pain Behind My Right Eye?
It’s a good practice to call your eye doctor if you ever experience eye pain. Eye pain is uncomfortable and can indicate an eye disease or another issue, which may require prompt treatment.
Just be prepared to answer some of the following questions when you call our office:
- Did your eyes come into contact with any chemicals or debris?
- Do both eyes hurt?
- Do you have a headache and eye pain?
- How would you describe your eye pain?
- What other symptoms are you experiencing?
- Where do you feel pain?
The location of your eye pain can tell you a lot about the potential causes. Here’s what you should know if you have pain behind your right eye.
What causes pain behind your right eye?
Eye pain can happen in a single eye or both of your eyes. While the cause may be severe in some occasions, it may suggest a temporary condition. Either way, reporting your symptoms to your eye doctor is an excellent way to monitor your pain progression and the likelihood of you having serious eye conditions.
Here are three primary reasons for pain behind your right eye:
#1: Infections
An infection in your sinuses may cause an increase in pressure, which can make your eyelids puffy. This may lead to discomfort behind or beneath your eye. As your sinus infection gets better, the redness and pain should decrease.
#2: Optic Neuritis
Just as puffiness around the eye due to an infection can contribute to discomfort, an infection or inflammation in the optic nerve can, too. This indicates optic neuritis (a serious eye condition that mandates a visit to the optometrist’s office). In addition to the uncomfortable feeling behind your eye, you might experience these symptoms: a blurry field of view, darkened vision, and trouble seeing color saturation.
#3: Severe Headaches
Headaches can cause pain anywhere on the upper part of your body, from your neck to your eyes. If you have a crippling headache that won’t go away, it’s likely a migraine, and that can make the area behind your eye more sensitive than usual. Keep in mind that regular headaches may indicate a refractive error (e.g., astigmatism, farsightedness, nearsightedness, or presbyopia), so if your head pain keeps returning, it’s best to get your eyes checked.
Is it normal to have pain behind your eye with movement?
Pain behind your eye with movement is one of the primary symptoms of optic neuritis. This side effect may start one day with no other warning signs, or it may worsen over a series of days.
Reach out to an eye doctor right away if you’re experiencing this symptom or any others of optic neuritis, as they may continue to develop if you don’t get treatment in time. Bear in mind that not everyone needs a remedy for this condition, as it can go away on its own, but specific medications can help with your loss of eyesight and other symptoms.
Summary: What’s the reason for the pain behind your right eye?
Many conditions can cause pain behind your right eye. We recommend watching for symptoms of an increase in sinus pressure (or an infection), migraines, and optic neuritis. All of these issues can affect the areas around your eye if left untreated.
Pain behind your eye with movement can also happen due to optic neuritis. If you have this symptom or any others, we urge you to write them down so that you can share them with your eye doctor. Next, you’ll want to contact your optometrist as soon as possible to find out if you need a comprehensive eye exam.
Our team will let you know if your symptoms are severe and require you to come in right away. Otherwise, we may give you some simple tips on how to treat your eye pain at home.
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