What causes pressure and pain behind the eyes?

Sinusitis, or a sinus infection, happens when bacteria or viruses get into the space behind your nose, eyes, and cheeks. These germs cause your sinuses to swell up and your nose to fill with mucus. With a sinus infection, you'll feel pressure in the upper part of your face, including behind your eyes.


What does pressure and pain behind the eyes mean?

Pressure or pain behind the eye is often temporary, linked to a headache or sinus pressure. However, there may be a more serious underlying cause, like an infection, inflammation, or tissue damage that needs treatment.

How do you get rid of pressure behind your eyes?

In order to effectively treat pressure behind the eyes, the underlying conditions must be addressed. The usage of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines and pain relievers are safe to take. They may help relieve pressure if it isn't too severe and doesn't appear to be a symptom of something more serious.


When should I worry about pain behind the eye?

Call 911 or your local emergency number for eye pain if: It is unusually severe or accompanied by headache, fever or unusual sensitivity to light. Your vision changes suddenly. You also experience nausea or vomiting.

What is pain behind the eyes a symptom of?

Also referred to as sinusitis, sinus inflammation causes pressure and pain behind your eyes and tenderness in the front of your face. Throbbing pain from a migraine headache almost always includes pain behind the eyes. This condition is caused by the buildup of intraocular pressure.


Pain or Pressure Behind the Eye: What It Could Mean



What kind of headache is behind the eyeballs?

The symptoms of a cluster headache include stabbing severe pain behind or above one eye or in the temple. Tearing of the eye, congestion in the associated nostril, and pupil changes and eyelid drooping may also occur.

What kind of headache makes behind your eyes hurt?

Tension headaches

These are the most common types of headache, and may cause pain behind your eyes, as well as on one or both sides of your head and from your neck down to your shoulders. Triggers include poor posture, lack of sleep, being hungry or dehydrated, or eye strain from staring too long at a computer screen.

What does high eye pressure feel like?

A mildly high eye pressure does not cause any noticeable symptoms or pain, but a very high pressure (likely 35 or higher) can cause pain in and around the eye and nausea or vomiting. That's one reason for you to see an ophthalmologist or optometrist regularly.


Can high blood pressure cause eye pain?

Persistent, untreated high blood pressure can cause damage to the retina, the tissues at the back of the eye responsible for receiving the images we need to see. The condition can lead to symptoms including double or dim vision, loss of vision and headaches.

What increases eye pressure?

Sometimes the body produces too much aqueous. If aqueous is produced at a higher rate than it can drain, that causes increased eye pressure. Slow aqueous drainage: If for any reason the drainage system doesn't function as it should, the aqueous accumulates and drains too slowly.

Can a brain tumor cause pain behind the eye?

Eye problems can also occur when a brain tumor exerts pressure on the optic nerve or when pressure within the skull causes the back of the eye (optic disc) to swell (a condition known as “papilledema”).


What is the fastest way to bring down eye pressure?

How Do I Lower My Intraocular Pressure
  1. Eat a Healthy Diet. Eating a healthy and balanced diet is helpful when managing your eye pressure. ...
  2. Exercise. Moving your body is important for your health. ...
  3. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake. ...
  4. Elevate Your Head While Sleeping. ...
  5. Medications.


Is pressure behind the eyes serious?

Pressure behind the eyes is not a serious medical concern on its own, but it may indicate the presence of a more acute condition. Anyone who notices symptoms such as loss of vision, bulging eyes, fever, frequent headaches, or facial swelling should see their doctor.

How do I get rid of pressure behind my eyes and head?

How Do You Treat Headaches Behind the Eyes?
  1. Ice packs.
  2. Change in your diet.
  3. Exercise.
  4. Reducing or eliminating alcohol and smoking.
  5. Over-the-counter pain medication for mild or moderate pain.


Can stress cause high eye pressure?

Psychological stress can significantly elevate intraocular pressure (IOP), even in healthy individuals, according to a report published in Ophthalmology Glaucoma.

Can high eye pressure cause an eye stroke?

Although an eye stroke can occur from a total blockage of a blood vessel that feeds the optic nerve, it is more commonly caused by a lack of pressure or perfusion of the tissue. Blood pressure may change relative to the eye pressure and the normal flow of blood is reduced.

What is considered stroke level for high blood pressure?

Call 911 or emergency medical services if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or greater and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of stroke. Stroke symptoms include numbness or tingling, trouble speaking, or changes in vision.


Is eye pressure related to blood pressure?

High Blood Pressure and Glaucoma

Doctors know that increased blood pressure results in increased eye pressure, possibly because high blood pressure increases the amount of fluid the eye produces and/or affects the eye's drainage system.

How can I relieve eye pressure naturally?

Below are some natural ways to lower your eye pressure:
  1. Reduce Carbohydrates, Lower Insulin Levels. There is a direct link between insulin levels and amount of sugar or carbohydrates you take. ...
  2. Eat Healthy Diet. ...
  3. Limit Caffeine. ...
  4. Exercise. ...
  5. Reduce Stress. ...
  6. Sleep with Head Raised.


Is headache behind eyes serious?

You're dealing with a cluster headache.

“The pain behind the eye is severe,” Dr. Mikhail says. Cluster headaches can also cause symptoms on the same side as your head pain, like red or watery eyes, a stuffy nose, forehead sweat, and eyelid drooping or swelling, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.


Can high blood pressure cause headache behind eyes?

The best evidence indicates that high blood pressure does not cause headaches or nosebleeds, except in the case of hypertensive crisis, a medical emergency when blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or higher.

What does a stroke headache feel like?

The easiest way to differentiate between the two is to pay attention to sensations. A migraine headache produces sensations like auras, flashing lights, or tingling skin, while a stroke-related headache causes sensations to be lost, such as a loss of vision or feeling.

What does a brain Tumour headache feel like?

They are often described as dull, "pressure-type" headaches, though some patients also experience sharp or "stabbing" pain. They can be localized to a specific area or generalized. They can be made worse with coughing, sneezing or straining.


When is eye pressure an emergency?

This is considered a medical emergency because the intraocular pressure spikes suddenly to anywhere from 30-70 mm or higher. This causes extremely sharp pain, nausea and vomiting, and cloudy vision. The IOP needs to be lowered within hours to prevent permanent vision loss.

What are the warning signs of glaucoma?

Glaucoma Signs and Symptoms
  • Vision Blind Spots. If you are experiencing blind spots in your peripheral (side) or central vision, this may be the first sign of vision loss due to glaucoma.
  • Eye Redness. ...
  • Eye Pain or Headaches. ...
  • Halos around Lights. ...
  • Nausea or Vomiting.