Eye diseases, contrary to popular belief, are not limited to visual impairment. And the glasses prescribed by the ophthalmologist, although a nuisance, are not the worst. It is much more dangerous to get an eye injury with a violation of the integrity of the cornea or purulent inflammation of the auxiliary structures of the eye.
Quite often, the ophthalmologist hears the patient's complaints that the eye hurts under the upper eyelid, it hurts to press, blink, close your eyes. This is usually a manifestation of the inflammatory process of any structure of the upper eyelid, conjunctiva or corneal microtrauma.
A bit of anatomy
Our eyes are not only made up of what we see. In addition, there are a large number of different systems related to the eye, but not performing the direct function of vision.
Actually, the eyeball is a complex optical organ that has in its structure modified cells characteristic of the brain. In other words, the retina of the eye, which has light-sensitive cells - "rods" and"cones" - is the outer representative of the cerebral cortex.
In front of the retina is the most massive structure - the vitreous body. In front of him is a lens capable of changing the refractive properties. Outside of the "lens" there is an iris that gives color to the eye. In the center of it is the pupil, which, depending on the brightness of the light, can expand or contract. Even more external is the anterior chamber of the eye. And all this is covered with a thin, dense and transparent cornea.
Auxiliary organs and structures help the eye to be in comfortable conditions. Inside the orbit of the eye, as if on a pillow, lies on loose fiber. They are driven by six muscles. In the inner corner is the lacrimal sac, along the duct of which the lacrimal fluid constantly keeps the cornea moist. Eyelids with eyelashes cover the eye, protecting it from excess light and foreign bodies.
More about eyelids
A person has two pairs of them, except for the rudimentary third, located at the inner corner of the eye. Covered on the outside with very thin skin, from the inside they are lined with a mucous membrane - the conjunctiva. Inside the eyelids is filled with loose fiber, in the thickness of which there is a circular muscle of the eye that closes the eyelids. Along the ciliated edge are cartilaginous plates, more pronounced on the movable upper eyelid. In each of these plates there are about twenty-five glands that produce a modified sweat-fat secretion that is secreted through the ciliary ducts.
Each structure has its own name in Latin. From them, the names of diseases are formed, which can be manifested by the fact that the eye hurts under the upper eyelid, it hurts to press, move the eyes, blink, or “sand in the eyes” is felt, there is constant tearing and other concerns. But pain in one or both eyes may be secondary, i.e. its cause is not a disease of the eye itself or auxiliary structures, but of nearby organs.
How eyes can hurt
Almost all diseases are accompanied by pain in the affected organ. The eyes are no exception. If your eye hurts under the upper eyelid, it hurts to press on the eyelid and eyeball, pay attention to the nature of the pain. It is a rather specific sign, and an experienced ophthalmologist can already suspect this or that disease by it.
Ophthalmologist's patients describe pain symptoms ranging from minor discomfort to excruciating bouts or ever-present sensations of burning, tingling, throbbing. Pressing or arching pain may be noted. Constant feeling as if there was a mote in the eye or sand in the eyes. The duration, severity and localization of pain depends on the causes that caused it.
Causes of eye pain
The most common reason, but at the same time the most easily corrected, is banal overwork. It occurs with prolonged visual strain associated with reading in transport, as well as with insufficient or too intense lighting. When working with small details or fixing eyes for a long time (working at a computer,control of transport or mechanisms).
Other causes of ocular pain syndrome may be related directly to the eyeball, to accessory structures of the eye, or to diseases of other organs. Separately, it is necessary to note foreign bodies and eye injuries.
A foreign body can be a dropped eyelash that has fallen into the contact of dirty hands with the eye or a particle of a solid substance carried by the air flow, flying chips or a fragment. The latter may be accompanied by trauma to the conjunctiva and/or cornea. At the same time, quite a few people do not know how to properly remove a speck from the eye, and an uncomplicated foreign body, when removed, injures the mucous membrane of the eyelid or the membrane of the eye.
Injuries to the eyeball are rarely isolated. Most often, damage to the entire eye apparatus is observed, including damage (bruises and fractures) of the orbit with contusion and hematoma of the eyeball, fiber, and eyelids. Injuries include burns, thermal and chemical.
Painful eye diseases
Directly in the eyeball, pain can be accompanied by diseases such as glaucoma. Especially its sharp closed-angle or open-angle shape. In addition, pain is caused by: astigmatism, corneal erosions or ulcers, hyphema (bleeding in the eyeball), keratitis (corneal inflammation), iritis (iris inflammation), scleritis and sclerokeratitis, uveitis (inflammation of the choroid).
Reason related to auxiliarystructures
The most common culprits in this group are inflammatory and structural diseases, as well as functional disorders. Inflammation includes all blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids) and conjunctivitis of any etiology. These are viral (herpes), bacterial (staph), fungal (candidiasis), and trachoma (chlamydia).
Inflammation of the lacrimal gland (dacryoadenitis) and lacrimal sac (dacryocystitis), the space between the sclera and the conjunctiva (episcleritis), complicated chordeolium (stye on the eye), orbital cellulitis (inflammation of the periocular tissue) are also accompanied by painful sensations.
Structural diseases and functional disorders that occur with a painful symptom are represented by: xerophthalmia (dry eye syndrome), cholasion (eyelid gland cyst), lacrimal gland tumor, pseudotumor of the orbit.
Pain in the eyes as a manifestation of other diseases
The reason that the eye hurts under the upper eyelid, it hurts to press on it, may be damage to the meninges (subdural hematoma) with TBI, or other brain diseases. Possible pain in the eye with inflammation of the optic nerve. Migraines, viral colds (flu) with high fever, hypertension also cause pain when moving the eyes and pressing on the eyeballs.
First Aid & Home Treatment
First aid is provided in situations such as: foreign body and eye injury (including burns). Knowing how to pull the speck out of the eye correctly is very simple.to help a person without harming him. It should be removed with a soft material (cotton swab, corner of a paper napkin), gently prying in the direction of the inner corner of the eye. In case of chemical burns, rinse with cool running water for several minutes without rubbing the eyes.
Styes on the eye are “treated” by pulling out an eyelash over the site of inflammation. Uncomplicated conjunctivitis usually resolves within a few days of eye drops therapy. More serious are situations when there is a seal under the upper eyelid, or the eye hurts under the upper eyelid and there is discharge, especially of a purulent nature. Then medical attention is required. When a pain symptom manifests, regardless of whether the right eye or the left eye hurts, or both, it is urgent to consult a specialist.
