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Persistent Eye pain / headaches
An_244377 posted:
For the past 8 months I've been experiencing eye pain / headaches, that seems to gradually be getting worse.
I work on a computer for most of the day. Recently I've found it harder to concentrate on reading for more than 5-10 minutes before needing to look away. The pain seems to progressively get worse throughout the day, but never really seems to go away. On bad days I seem to have trouble focusing on any object (near or far) for more than a few seconds (even after leaving work). I do notice that brighter objects seems to give me a little more discomfort. Recently, I've had days where I will go home after work, lay down for several hours in a dim room (4 hours), go to bed (7 hours) and within a few minutes (15-20) of being awake, I feel the eye pain in my eyes returning. On days when I am not at work, I feel the same "strain", but it seems to be less intensive.
The pain seems to be more around my eyes than a "normal" headache. I have never worn glasses, but am 38 years old and suspected I needed glasses. Went to an optometrist, where they did numerous tests only to tell me I have 20/20 vision. The suggestion was to visit my primary physician. Which I did. His suggestion is a CT scan.
I am looking for other options. Suggestions?
I work on a computer for most of the day. Recently I've found it harder to concentrate on reading for more than 5-10 minutes before needing to look away. The pain seems to progressively get worse throughout the day, but never really seems to go away. On bad days I seem to have trouble focusing on any object (near or far) for more than a few seconds (even after leaving work). I do notice that brighter objects seems to give me a little more discomfort. Recently, I've had days where I will go home after work, lay down for several hours in a dim room (4 hours), go to bed (7 hours) and within a few minutes (15-20) of being awake, I feel the eye pain in my eyes returning. On days when I am not at work, I feel the same "strain", but it seems to be less intensive.
The pain seems to be more around my eyes than a "normal" headache. I have never worn glasses, but am 38 years old and suspected I needed glasses. Went to an optometrist, where they did numerous tests only to tell me I have 20/20 vision. The suggestion was to visit my primary physician. Which I did. His suggestion is a CT scan.
I am looking for other options. Suggestions?
4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Persistent Eye pain / headachesFor the past 8 months I've been experiencing eye pain / headaches, that seems to gradually be getting worse.<br /> <br />I work on a computer for most of the day. Recently I've found it harder to concentrate on reading for more than 5-10 minutes before needing to look away. The pain seems to progressively get worse throughout the day, but never really seems to go away. On bad days I seem to have trouble focusing on any object (near or far) for more than a few seconds (even after leaving work). I do notice that brighter objects seems to give me a little more discomfort. Recently, I've had days where I will go home after work, lay down for several hours in a dim room (4 hours), go to bed (7 hours) and within a few minutes (15-20) of being awake, I feel the eye pain in my eyes returning. On days when I am not at work, I feel the same "strain", but it seems to be less intensive.<br /> <br />The pain seems to be more around my eyes than a "normal" headache. I have never worn glasses, but am 38 years old and suspected I needed glasses. Went to an optometrist, where they did numerous tests only to tell me I have 20/20 vision. The suggestion was to visit my primary physician. Which I did. His suggestion is a CT scan.<br /> <br />I am looking for other options. Suggestions?
Alan M Kozarsky, MD responded:
To determine whether the headaches are due to your eyes, a second opinion from an ophthalmologist or neuro-ophthalmologist is a very good idea. It will be important to determine whether there is a "latent" need for glasses. This should include a refraction (check for eyeglass need) after dilating your pupils.
If the headaches/eye aches cannot be explained by findings on your eye exam, then you need to consult with your primary medical doctor to investigate other causes.
If the headaches/eye aches cannot be explained by findings on your eye exam, then you need to consult with your primary medical doctor to investigate other causes.
Report This| Share this:Persistent Eye pain / headachesTo determine whether the headaches are due to your eyes, a second opinion from an ophthalmologist or neuro-ophthalmologist is a very good idea. It will be important to determine whether there is a "latent" need for glasses. This should include a refraction (check for eyeglass need) after dilating your pupils.<br /><br />If the headaches/eye aches cannot be explained by findings on your eye exam, then you need to consult with your primary medical doctor to investigate other causes.
sabhlok responded:
Dear An_244377
I'm almost certain that you've got an extreme form of computer eye strain which generally involves very tight muscles inside the eye and dry eye.
No medical expert understands this. See details at: http://bit.ly/HbTO1k. Like with most computer related issues, modern medicine has no answers. You are on your own.
I've been struggling for well over 17 months now, without any solution. I'm experimenting with a number of alternative medicine options.
As a first step I'd suggest a very regular regimen of eye exercises. Hot compress for the eyes. Then plenty of ordinary eye drops, e.g. systane. Then keep trying other ideas. You can go to specialists, of course, but it is unlikely that they'll be able to help.
I'm almost certain that you've got an extreme form of computer eye strain which generally involves very tight muscles inside the eye and dry eye.
No medical expert understands this. See details at: http://bit.ly/HbTO1k. Like with most computer related issues, modern medicine has no answers. You are on your own.
I've been struggling for well over 17 months now, without any solution. I'm experimenting with a number of alternative medicine options.
As a first step I'd suggest a very regular regimen of eye exercises. Hot compress for the eyes. Then plenty of ordinary eye drops, e.g. systane. Then keep trying other ideas. You can go to specialists, of course, but it is unlikely that they'll be able to help.
Report This| Share this:Persistent Eye pain / headachesDear An_244377<br /><br /><br />I'm almost certain that you've got an extreme form of computer eye strain which generally involves very tight muscles inside the eye and dry eye.<br /><br /><br />No medical expert understands this. See details at: <a href="http://bit.ly/HbTO1k">http://bit.ly/HbTO1k</a>. Like with most computer related issues, modern medicine has no answers. You are on your own. <br /><br />I've been struggling for well over 17 months now, without any solution. I'm experimenting with a number of alternative medicine options. <br /><br /><br />As a first step I'd suggest a very regular regimen of eye exercises. Hot compress for the eyes. Then plenty of ordinary eye drops, e.g. systane. Then keep trying other ideas. You can go to specialists, of course, but it is unlikely that they'll be able to help.
ElizabethTracy replied to sabhlok's response:
sabhlok:
What kind of eye exercises do you do? What alternative medicine options are you exploring? I'm at my computer all day long (8-10 hours a day) and I've started having headaches and noticed I squint more & more these days.
Thanks!
What kind of eye exercises do you do? What alternative medicine options are you exploring? I'm at my computer all day long (8-10 hours a day) and I've started having headaches and noticed I squint more & more these days.
Thanks!
Report This| Share this:Persistent Eye pain / headachessabhlok:<br /><br />What kind of eye exercises do you do? What alternative medicine options are you exploring? I'm at my computer all day long (8-10 hours a day) and I've started having headaches and noticed I squint more & more these days. <br /><br />Thanks!
sabhlok replied to ElizabethTracy's response:
What I wrote is now outdated. It was written at the point when I was forming the view that the cause is not dry eye but eye strain. That has been entirely confirmed, and in that process I've worked out (through trial/error) a number of exercises that have brought my very severe symptoms to some form of normalcy. I keep updating the website I operate on this subject (which was a placeholder for my research), and my current findings are all available here: http://eyestrain.sabhlokcity.com/.
Let me say that from a very mentally depressed state as a result of total lack of useful knowledge by any doctor (and I've seen MANY specialists!), and being forced to try Restasis which merely made things worse, I'm now trying to recover my life after a gap of nearly 18 months.
The key is that the relaxation has to be with full consciousness, but INSIDE one's head. The best exercise is to imagine that the eyeball has been disconnected from the muscles and is falling off into the cheeks. But anyway, there are a number of other things I've discovered and elaborated (including on youtube) on my website above.
Let me say that from a very mentally depressed state as a result of total lack of useful knowledge by any doctor (and I've seen MANY specialists!), and being forced to try Restasis which merely made things worse, I'm now trying to recover my life after a gap of nearly 18 months.
The key is that the relaxation has to be with full consciousness, but INSIDE one's head. The best exercise is to imagine that the eyeball has been disconnected from the muscles and is falling off into the cheeks. But anyway, there are a number of other things I've discovered and elaborated (including on youtube) on my website above.
Report This| Share this:Persistent Eye pain / headachesWhat I wrote is now outdated. It was written at the point when I was forming the view that the cause is not dry eye but eye strain. That has been entirely confirmed, and in that process I've worked out (through trial/error) a number of exercises that have brought my very severe symptoms to some form of normalcy. I keep updating the website I operate on this subject (which was a placeholder for my research), and my current findings are all available here: <a href="http://eyestrain.sabhlokcity.com/">http://eyestrain.sabhlokcity.com/</a>.<br /><br />Let me say that from a very mentally depressed state as a result of total lack of useful knowledge by any doctor (and I've seen MANY specialists!), and being forced to try Restasis which merely made things worse, I'm now trying to recover my life after a gap of nearly 18 months. <br /><br />The key is that the relaxation has to be with full consciousness, but INSIDE one's head. The best exercise is to imagine that the eyeball has been disconnected from the muscles and is falling off into the cheeks. But anyway, there are a number of other things I've discovered and elaborated (including on youtube) on my website above.
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