A proper diagnosis is vital and a treatment plan to treat the underlying cause can help to relieve both the eye problems and the accompanying headaches .
Not All Eye Conditions Are Emergencies
Inflammation , dryness , bleeding and straining aren ’ t always emergencies . But if they aren ’ t addressed , they could trigger painful headaches .
INFLAMMATION : Uveitis , or inflammation of the eye , is frequently mysterious in origin . It may be the result of a virus , bacteria , parasite or inflammatory disease . This leads to swelling and irritation of the uvea , the middle layer of the eye . The inflammation can cause blurred vision , light sensitivity , redness and headaches .
Treatment for uveitis typically includes eye drops or the topical steroid prednisolone acetate ( e . g ., Pred Forte ® or Omnipred ® ), which is applied four times a day or more . Treating the inflammation can relieve the headache , says Joel S . Schuman , MD , FACS , Eye & Ear Foundation professor and chairman at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Ophthalmology . Even with treatment , he warns that the pain and inflammation may take weeks to resolve , depending on the cause . Still , it is important to stick with treatment ; untreated uveitis could lead to glaucoma , cataracts ( clouding of the lens ) and vision loss .
DRY EYE : “ When people complain about pain in both eyes , a common cause is dry eye ,” says Deborah I . Friedman , MD , MPH , professor of neurology , neurotherapeutics and ophthalmology and director of the Headache and Facial Pain program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas . Symptoms of dry eye include eye pain , burning , itching , redness , blurred vision and the feeling of having sand in your eyes . Such symptoms could be the result of tear deficiency , low humidity in the surrounding environment , contact lens use , medication side effects , or a more serious medical condition such as lupus ( a chronic inflammatory disease ) or thyroid disease .
When it comes to relief for dry eye , Dr . Friedman says “ you need lubrication , not ibuprofen .” An ophthalmologist will typically recommend using artificial tears frequently throughout the day . Dr . Friedman says to avoid over-the-counter eye drops containing naphazoline ( e . g ., Clear Eyes ® ). “ Naphazoline gets the red out , but it can cause rebound redness once the product wears off , leading users to become dependent on the medication over time ,” she says . “ That ’ s just counterproductive .”
For more severe cases , cyclosporine ophthalmic drops ( e . g ., Restasis ® ) are prescribed . In extreme cases , the physician may opt to plug the tear duct in order to reduce drainage of tears and keep the eye lubricated . Once the eye is properly lubricated , the pain should be relieved .
BLEEDING : Bleeding in the eye can be caused by blunt trauma to the eye , penetration of the eye or , rarely , cancer or inflammation . Bleeding can raise the level of pressure in the eye that can lead to eye pain , blurred vision and headaches .
“ The best course of action is to wait it out ,” Dr . Schuman says . “ Unless it ’ s a massive hemorrhage , the eye pressure is high or the blood is staining the tissues of the eye , the eye tissue will usually absorb the blood on its own .”
If the hemorrhage is severe , the physician may opt to drain the blood surgically . In the meantime , drops of atropine ( e . g ., Isopto Atropine ® ) and / or steroids can be used to treat the pain and inflammation . Patients should not take aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ) such as ibuprofen to treat this condition , as these medications can promote bleeding .
EYESTRAIN : Often eye pain and headaches are simply the result of eyestrain , a sign that a patient may need glasses or a stronger eyeglass prescription . Eyestrain headaches usually occur after periods of reading or at the end of a workday spent focusing on a computer screen .
“ When a patient is suffering from eyestrain , a change in eyeglass prescription will often solve the problem ,” Dr . Schuman says . “ If a new prescription doesn ’ t fix it , this may indicate the presence of some other eye problem ; for example , difficulty reading and eyestrain can be symptoms of a cataract , which could be cured with surgery .”
A proper diagnosis is vital and a treatment plan to treat the underlying cause can help to relieve both the eye problems and the accompanying headaches .
To make things more complicated , researchers in the Jan . 2004 issue of the journal Headache revealed that pituitary apoplexy is often misdiagnosed as meningitis . For this reason , the researchers say it is important for anyone who presents with these symptoms to get a magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) scan of the brain to determine the true cause .
Researchers in the meningitis study wrote that pituitary apoplexy is rare but life threatening , adding that rapid treatment is necessary and usually involves administration of high-dose corticosteroid ( e . g ., cortisone , prednisone ) and surgery to remove the tumor .
GIANT CELL ARTERITIS
Similar to pituitary apoplexy , giant cell arteritis ( GCA ) is an emergency condition that , if left untreated , can cause headache , vision problems or even stroke , Dr . Samuels warns . Specifically , the condition involves an inflammation of the lining of the blood vessels in the brain . While the cause of this inflammation is unknown , it is suspected that it may be the result of an immune response gone wrong , notes the NIH .
People with GCA are usually older than 50 . They may experience a new onset headache that is throbbing in nature , pain in the jaw and visual symptoms including blurred or double vision . Unfortunately , these symptoms also mimic tension-type headaches , migraine and cluster headaches . A blood test or biopsy can help a physician make a proper diagnosis . Administration of oral or intravenous corticosteroids can treat the problem as well as relieve the headaches caused by this condition , Dr . Schuman says .
In each of the eye-related conditions noted here , a proper diagnosis is vital and a plan to treat the underlying cause can help to relieve both the eye problems and the accompanying headaches . Simpson now recognizes that if she had followed her treatment plan , she likely wouldn ’ t be facing her current vision and headache issues . “ My advice to people is to stay on your treatment and don ’ t miss appointments with your doctor ,” she says . “ If you don ’ t follow your treatment plan , it will only get worse .” Hw
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The National Headache Foundation has a list of headache specialists who may be of help . See www . headaches . org or call 888-NHF-5552 .
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