There’s a big difference between a minor irritation and something serious. Eye pain can be anything from a small annoyance to a warning sign that you need immediate care. Whether it’s a sharp sting, a dull ache, or a burning sensation, your eyes are telling you something’s off. And sometimes that message is urgent.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common causes of eye pain, help you figure out what different types of discomfort actually mean, and most importantly, show you when it’s time to call your optometrist. If you’ve been experiencing eye pain and aren’t sure whether to wait it out or get it checked, this article will give you the answers you need to make the right call.
Common Types of Eye Pain and What They Signal
Eye pain isn’t one-size-fits-all. The way your eye hurts—sharp, burning, dull, or throbbing—often tells us something about what’s going on. Understanding these differences helps you know whether something’s likely temporary or needs professional attention.
Sharp, Shooting Pain
Sharp eye pain often means something’s irritating the surface of your eye. This could be sand, dirt, an eyelash, or even a tiny scratch on your cornea. If it feels like something’s poking or jabbing, your eye might have picked up a foreign object. The good news? Most of these clear up quickly once the irritant is removed. The tricky part is that rubbing your eye can make it worse, so resist the urge.
Burning or Stinging
A burning sensation typically points to irritation on the surface of your eye. Dry eyes are the biggest culprit here. When your eyes aren’t producing enough tears or the tears are evaporating too fast, the surface becomes inflamed and starts to burn. Contact lens wearers know this feeling well. But burning can also signal an infection like pink eye or a condition called blepharitis (inflammation of your eyelids).
Dull, Aching Pain
A deep, aching pain inside your eye is different from surface irritation and usually more concerning. This type of pain can suggest something’s happening inside the eye itself, like increased pressure or inflammation. Conditions like glaucoma, uveitis (inflammation of the eye’s middle layer), or optic neuritis (swelling of the nerve connecting your eye to your brain) can cause this sensation.
Throbbing or Pulsating Pain
Throbbing pain often comes with other symptoms like headache, light sensitivity, or nausea. This pattern is common with migraines and cluster headaches. Some people experience throbbing around or behind their eye, which can be confusing because it might not feel like it’s coming from the eye itself.
Why Your Eyes Hurt: The Most Common Culprits
Dry Eyes
Believe it or not, dry eyes are the number one reason people experience eye pain. Your tears do way more than keep your eyes wet. They protect, lubricate, and nourish your eyes. When tear production drops or tears evaporate too quickly, your eye’s surface becomes irritated and inflamed.
This happens more often than you’d think. Long hours on screens, dry indoor heating, allergies, certain medications, and contact lens wear all contribute to dry eyes. If you work on a computer all day or spend hours scrolling through your phone, dry eye discomfort is probably something you’ve felt.
Foreign Objects and Scratches
Sometimes the cause is obvious: you got something in your eye. Sand, dust, makeup, or even an eyelash can lodge on the surface and cause pain. Your eye usually flushes out minor irritants with tears, but if something stays stuck, you might have a corneal abrasion (a scratch on the clear front part of your eye).
Most minor scratches heal on their own in a few days, but you should still get it checked to make sure there’s no infection risk.
Eye Infections
Several types of infections can cause eye pain. Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is probably the most well-known. It causes redness, discharge, and uncomfortable pain. Pink eye spreads easily, whether it’s caused by bacteria or viruses. Viral pink eye is usually watery and extremely itchy, while bacterial infections often produce a thick, yellow discharge.
Keratitis (corneal infection) is more serious. If you wear contact lenses, this is especially important to know about. Proper cleaning and care prevent it, but infections can develop quickly if lenses aren’t handled correctly or worn too long. Symptoms include pain, redness, blurred vision, and light sensitivity.
Contact Lens Problems
Contact lens wearers face higher risks for several eye issues. Sleeping in your contacts, not cleaning them properly, using tap water instead of solution, or wearing lenses past their expiration date creates an ideal environment for bacteria, fungi, and parasites to thrive.
Even without a full infection, poor lens care can scratch your cornea or cause inflammation. If you wear contacts and experience pain, redness, or discharge, stop wearing them immediately and see your eye doctor. Don’t just push through discomfort, because it could mean something serious.
Sinus Pressure and Headaches
Your sinuses sit right around your eyes. When you have sinusitis (a sinus infection) or sinus pressure builds up, you might feel pain behind or around your eyes. This can be confusing because it feels like eye pain, but it’s actually coming from congestion in your sinuses.
Migraines and cluster headaches also cause eye pain. Migraine pain behind the eye can be severe and throbbing, sometimes accompanied by nausea and extreme light sensitivity. Cluster headaches are sharp and searing, often described as the most intense type of headache people experience.
Eyelid Conditions
A sty is a small infection in the glands of your eyelid, creating a painful bump. Blepharitis happens when oil glands on your eyelid edges get clogged, causing swelling and irritation. Both are uncomfortable but usually respond well to treatment.
More Serious Conditions
Some causes of eye pain are serious and need fast attention. Glaucoma develops when pressure inside your eye rises and damages the optic nerve. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency because it causes sudden, severe pain and can lead to blindness without immediate treatment.
Uveitis is inflammation inside your eye that requires medical attention. Optic neuritis (swelling of the optic nerve) can be the first sign of multiple sclerosis or other conditions that need diagnosis and care.
Scleritis is inflammation of the white part of your eye and causes moderate to severe pain that worsens at night or with eye movement.
When to See Your Optometrist: Red Flags You Can’t Ignore
Most eye pain isn’t an emergency, but some situations definitely warrant immediate attention. At LMC Optometry & Eye Care, we always say: when in doubt, call us. But here are the specific signs that shouldn’t wait:
Seek care immediately if you have:
- Severe, intense eye pain that doesn’t ease up
- Pain accompanied by vision loss or blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light (feels painful to look at bright light)
- Redness combined with pain
- Discharge from your eye (watery, thick, or colored)
- A bulging eye or feeling of pressure inside the eye
- Nausea, vomiting, or fever along with eye pain
- Recent eye injury or trauma
- Sensation that something’s stuck in your eye (especially if you can’t remove it)
- Pain that keeps getting worse instead of improving
- A known foreign object in your eye, especially metal
- Chemical splashed in your eye
Schedule an appointment soon if:
- Pain lasts more than a few hours without improvement
- You wear contact lenses and experience pain, redness, or irritation
- Mild pain is getting worse over a day or two
- You have pain with any change in your vision
- Redness appears with pain, even if it’s mild
Home care is okay for very mild cases, such as:
- Slight irritation without redness or vision changes
- Minor discomfort that improves with rest
- Mild burning from obvious tiredness or screen time
But honestly, if you’re unsure, it’s always better to get checked out. LMC Optometry & Eye Care has the tools and expertise to quickly figure out what’s going on and get you feeling better.
What Your Optometrist Will Do
When you come in with eye pain, we perform a thorough evaluation. This includes checking your vision, examining the surface of your eye with special lighting, and looking at the structures inside. We might use special drops to numb the eye temporarily so we can see what’s happening more clearly. Some conditions require a slit-lamp examination (a special microscope that lets us see your eye in detail) or eye pressure testing.
Once we identify the cause, we’ll discuss treatment options. Sometimes it’s simple, such as artificial tears for dry eyes, antibiotic drops for infection, or removing a foreign object. Other conditions might need more involved care, but getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step.
Protecting Your Eyes: Simple Prevention Steps
You can prevent many types of eye pain. Here’s what actually helps:
- For dry eyes: Use artificial tears regularly, take screen breaks, and make sure your indoor environment isn’t too dry. Blink deliberately when focusing on screens.
- For infections: Wash your hands before touching your eyes. If you wear contacts, follow the cleaning routine exactly, use fresh solution daily, never use tap water, and replace your case regularly.
- For eye injuries: Wear protective eyewear during activities like yard work, DIY projects, or sports.
- For overall eye health: Get regular eye exams. They catch problems early before they become serious.
Your Eye Pain Questions, Answered
What should I do if I get something in my eye?
First, try to flush it out with clean water or artificial tears. Blink frequently to encourage tears to wash out the irritant. Avoid rubbing your eye, as this can scratch the surface. If the object doesn’t come out after a few minutes or rinsing, or if you suspect something’s scratched your eye, see your optometrist right away.
Can eye pain go away on its own?
Some types of minor eye pain do improve on their own. Foreign objects often flush out naturally with tears. Very minor irritation from dry eyes might resolve with rest. However, if pain lasts more than a few hours, comes back repeatedly, or is accompanied by redness or vision changes, it needs professional evaluation.
Is eye pain ever a sign of something serious?
Yes. While most eye pain isn’t serious, some conditions like acute angle-closure glaucoma, corneal ulcers, or serious infections are medical emergencies. This is why we always recommend getting severe or persistent eye pain checked out. It’s better to be safe.
Should I remove my contact lenses if my eyes hurt?
Absolutely. If you wear contacts and experience pain, remove them immediately. Don’t put them back in until you’ve seen an eye doctor. Continuing to wear lenses while your eyes hurt risks making the problem worse and can lead to infection or corneal damage.
What’s the difference between eye strain and eye pain?
Eye strain is discomfort from tired eyes, usually after long screen time or intense focus. It feels like fatigue or mild irritation and improves with rest. True eye pain is sharper or more intense. It might be burning, aching, or throbbing and often persists even after rest. If you’re experiencing pain rather than simple strain, get it checked.
How quickly should I see a doctor for eye pain?
If the pain is severe, comes with vision loss, light sensitivity, discharge, or injury, see someone today or go to an emergency room. For moderate pain lasting more than an hour without improvement, call your optometrist. For mild discomfort, if it hasn’t improved in a few hours or returns repeatedly, schedule an appointment soon.
Can sinusitis cause eye pain?
Yes. Sinus infections and pressure can cause discomfort around or behind the eyes. If you have sinus congestion along with eye pain, see your doctor to treat the underlying sinus issue. Once the sinusitis clears, the eye pain usually resolves, too.
What does it mean if my eye pain comes and goes?
Intermittent eye pain can signal several things: dry eyes (pain worse at the end of the day), migraine or cluster headaches, intermittent sinus pressure, or recurring infections. Keep track of when the pain happens and what else you’re experiencing. This information helps your eye doctor identify the cause.
Your Next Step
Eye pain is your body’s way of saying something needs attention. You don’t have to figure it out alone. At LMC Optometry & Eye Care, we’re here to help. Whether your pain is mild or severe, sudden or recurring, we can identify the cause and get you on the path to relief.
Don’t wait for eye pain to get worse. Schedule your appointment with us today. We serve patients in Ontario with compassionate, expert care—whether you’re in Barrie, Thornhill, Brampton, or anywhere else across the region. Your eyes deserve professional attention, and we’re ready to provide it.
