Why does my eye hurt when I blink?

Why does my eye hurt when I blink?

When blinking, eye pain may be felt over the entire eye or only in a few locations, such as the eyelid or cornea. Blinking might hurt for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, the discomfort will subside on its own, but other times, it may be a sign of a more serious problem.

Dry eyes, a stye, or pink eye (conjunctivitis) are typical reasons for eye pain when you blink. Glaucoma or optic neuritis are more severe disorders that might make your eyes pain when you blink.

This article will go over potential reasons and treatments for eye pain that occurs during blinking.

Why does my eye hurt when I blink?

When blinking, material like dirt or sand can often become lodged in the eye and hurt. It can also be brought on by an illness or injury, though. Let’s take a look at the common causes of why your eye hurts when you blink

Stye

When the oil glands or eyelash follicles become contaminated, it results in a stye. It makes the eyelid enlarge, which could make the eye hurt when you blink. The germs that produced the stye can spread to other people even though the stye itself is not contagious.

Most skin infections, or “styes,” are brought on by germs like Staphylococcus aureus, which can spread to other people through close contact.

Conjunctivitis

Inflammation of the transparent membrane that covers the eye and the inside of the eyelid is referred to as conjunctivitis. Blood vessels may swell, causing the whites of the eyes to turn red and hurt.

Infections or allergies, such as hay fever or a pet allergy, are to blame for the disease. Infection-related conjunctivitis can spread quickly.

Infected tear ducts

If the tear duct is clogged, for instance by eye debris, it may become infected by bacteria. When blinking, this may result in eye pain in the corner.

Blepharitis

The inflammation of the upper or lower eyelid margins is known as blepharitis. When blinking, the eyelids may grow irritated and hurt. Bacteria, a clogged gland, or certain skin diseases like seborrheic dermatitis can all contribute to the problem.

Injury

The eye is comparatively prone to injury. When blinking, discomfort from acute injuries or debris might hurt the eye or the eye socket.

Also, rubbing or touching the eye can easily result in scratches on the cornea, which are a common type of injury.

The eye may also get burned if it is exposed to too much UV light from the sun or comes into contact with certain substances. Substances like irritants can also cause injury.

Although they rarely cause eye injury, irritants can be uncomfortable. Detergents or pepper spray may be the cause.

Burns

Alkali burns

The most serious sort of burns is alkali burns, which are frequently brought on by cleaning supplies that contain ammonia, caustic soda, or lime.

Acid burns

These can be brought on by vinegar or some polishes that contain hydrofluoric acid and are less severe than alkali burns.

Sinusitis

Around the eyes and nose are tiny cavities called sinuses. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses that is typically brought on by a viral infection. Blinking pain, a blocked nose, face tenderness, a headache, and other flu-like symptoms can result from this.

Corneal ulcer (Ocular ulcer)

An open sore that appears on the surface of the eye is known as a corneal ulcer. They typically result from an infection, but they can also arise from wounds like burns or scratches.

Ocular neuritis

Optic neuritis develops when the optic nerve gets inflamed, impairing the flow of visual data from the eye to the brain. When the eyes or eyelids move due to this inflammation, pain may result. It may also impair your ability to see colors clearly and temporarily impair your vision.

Symptoms of dry eye

The disruption of tear production is a symptom of dry eye syndrome, commonly referred to as dry eye illness. The result is dryness and irritation of the eyes. It could cause discomfort when you blink.

Graves’ disease

The thyroid overproduces antibodies that wrongly target the body as a result of Graves’ disease, an autoimmune illness. Overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism are other names for it. It may result in inflammation in and around the eyes, which could make blinking painful.

Anxiety, hyperactivity, itching, mood fluctuations, difficulty sleeping, and unceasing thirst are further symptoms.

Keratitis

An infection of the cornea brought on by bacteria or a virus is referred to as keratitis. Light sensitivity, eye pain, and a gritty or sandy feeling are all potential side effects of this infection.

Treatments

Depending on the cause, there are many treatments for pain when blinking. For example;

You can treat conjunctivitis by

• avoiding the chemical or allergy that caused the condition
• using a cool compress to soothe discomfort while avoiding touching or scratching the eyes
• Until symptoms are fully resolved, remove contact lenses
• Using lubricating eye drops and keeping your hands and eyes clean will help ease symptoms.

To lessen severe symptoms or offer quicker relief, medication may be necessary in some circumstances.

For the cause of injuries;

• If a chemical burn occurs, rinse the injured eye with sterile saline or cold water as a way. Serious burns will need medical attention and even surgery.
• To relieve discomfort or stop infections, use eye drops as would be prescribed by the physician.
• Sunglasses and avoiding ultraviolet radiation are necessary to prevent further harm to a flash burn. To shield the eye and allow it to heal, an eye patch may be required in specific circumstances.
• Infection control, pain management, and ocular muscle relaxation are other possible uses for the medication.

Stye

Using a warm compress many times each day to minimize swelling, a stye may typically be managed at home.

Up until the stye has completely healed, people should refrain from wearing makeup or putting contact lenses near the stye.

After a few days, if the stye is not improving with home treatment, medical intervention may be necessary.

Infected tear ducts

Antibiotics are frequently used to treat tear duct infections. To help with symptom relief, eye drops may also be recommended. Surgery might be required in rare circumstances.

Keratitis

Antibacterial eye drops are used to treat mild episodes of keratitis. Antibiotics may be needed in more severe situations to treat the illness. Surgery might be required in rare circumstances.

Graves’ disease

Antithyroid drugs or radioactive iodine therapy can both lower thyroid hormone levels. Surgery can also be used to do this; however, it is often only provided to younger applicants.

Optic neuritis

Many cases of optic neuritis recover on their own and don’t need medical attention. Steroids may be used to treat persistent cases in order to lessen inflammation. Steroids can be administered orally or by injection.

Corneal ulcer

Antibiotic, antifungal, or antiviral medications are frequently used to treat corneal ulcers. Symptoms might be lessened by applying a cool compress and avoiding touching or rubbing the eye. Surgery can be needed in severe situations.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis rarely disappears even after successful treatment, although symptoms can be controlled by: Keeping the eyelids clean. The usage of eyelid scrubs and cleansers may fall under this category.

To assist in softening the skin and removing crusts, apply a warm compress for 5 to 10 minutes.

Encouraging oil secretion by gently rubbing the eyelids.

Antibiotics might be required in more severe situations.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis can frequently be managed at home. Symptoms can be lessened by:

• applying a warm compress to the area for 5 to 10 minutes, multiple times each day
• using over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen
• inhaling steam
• using a nasal saline solution
• staying rested and hydrated

Summary

There are a lot of possible reasons why your eye may hurt when you blink. These include dry eyes, stye, blepharitis, sinusitis, etc.

Often, eye pain subsides quickly. But you should see your doctor for standard therapies, such as painkillers, eye drops, or a warm compress, which don’t lessen your symptoms. You should get emergency medical care if your symptoms sharply deteriorate or if you notice a sudden increase in the number of symptoms.