Pain Relief for Eyes

Eye pain can be caused by injury, environmental pollutants, allergies or disease. It can even be caused by a migraine headache. Intense eye pain makes it difficult to concentrate or to function normally. In most cases, eye pain is a signal to seek medical treatment. A optometrist can identify the source of the pain and the best treatment for eye pain relief.

Causes of Eye Pain

• Eye pain can be caused by allergies, accidental injury, migraines, eye disease, a sty, pink eye, improper use of contact lens as well as a number of other things. According to Dr. Montgomery Vickers, an eye specialist, eye pain can be caused by any number of "acute and chronic eye health conditions."

Pain Treatments

• The most common home-based treatment for eye pain is flushing the eyes with tap water. This method is especially effective for washing small foreign objects or chemicals from the eye. Seek medical attention if flushing does not relieve the eye pain. Never rub the eyes as this may make the condition worse.

  Eye dryness caused by allergies can be treated with over-the-counter drops at home. Covering the eyes with a damp cloth, resting the eyes and avoiding bright light may also relieve the pain. Taking pain relievers such as aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen will help relieve pain caused by seasonal allergies.

  Consult your eye doctor for all other eye pain. The optometrist will perform tests to determine the cause of the pain and the proper treatment. After the exam the doctor may prescribe prescription or over-the-counter pain relief treatments. If the pain is the result of injury or a serious eye condition, surgery or another form of treatment may be needed.

New Pain Relief Methods

• An article in the 2006 issue of the American Journal of Drug Delivery, "Contact Lenses for Drug Delivery: Achieving Sustained Release with Novel Systems," discusses the use of soft contact lenses for the treatment of eye pain. Hydrogel soft contacts can be used to transfer medicine directly to the eye for the treatment of ocular pain and to promote healing of eye areas. Hydrogel lenses are thin and have the ability to absorb medication before being inserted into the eye. The idea holds promise, but there are challenges. One involves controlling the release of the medication while another involves controlling the amount of medication absorbed by the lens.