Painful Burning Eyes Causes Diagnosis Therapy

Painful Burning Eyes, What is Behind It? 

Burning eyes causes diagnosis Therapy

Burning eyes can burden everyday life. At the same time there are often other eye complaints. The causes of burning eyes can be harmless. Some, however, are in need of treatment.

Eye Burning

Contents

• Overview
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Therapy

What is Eye Burning? 

Eye burning is an unpleasant, burning sensation in the eyes.

Possible side effects of eye burning include symptoms such as:

• dry eyes
• Pressure in the eye
• Foreign body sensation in the eye
• red eyes or eyelids
• itchy eyes
• glued eyes when waking up
• watery eyes
• watery, slimy or purulent discharge in the eyes
• Dandruff on the eyelids or on the lash line

Burning eyes may have harmless causes that (usually) disappear by themselves. Eye burning is sometimes also an expression of various diseases that require treatment. Anyone who suffers from burning eyes for a long time and has other complaints or  pain should therefore go to the doctor. He can find out the exact causes and, if necessary, handle them. A common cause of eye burns are for example dry eyes (Sicca syndrome) or conjunctivitis.

If your burning eyes are not only on short notice, you should have the complaints cleared up by a doctor.

Painful Burning eyes, Possible causes

Burning eyes can have different causes. Some of the common causes include:

• conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis) by infections with bacteria, viruses or fungi
• the so-called dry eye (sicca syndrome)
• an inflammation of the tissue between dermis and conjunctiva (episcleritis)
• inflammation of the eyelid margin ( blepharitis )
• Injuries of the ocular surface

Burning eyes rarely have the following causes:

Painful Burning eyes causes

• inflammation of the dermis of the eye (scleritis)
• a so-called wing-pelt (pterygium), ie a proliferation of vascular tissue of the conjunctiva on the cornea
• a corneal inflammation (keratitis)

Especially in the elderly burning eyes can often age-related conjunctivitis change the Lidspaltenfleck (pinguecula) caused. The eyelid spot on the side of the iris, in the white area of the eye, forms a yellowish, mostly flat, less prominent spot. It is a harmless change on the eye.

In case of Painful Burning Eyes, the following  causes are  also possible:

• Allergies  (eg hay fever , house dust allergy )
• Excessive eye strain, eg after a long work on a computer screen or with altered eyesight
• Irritation of the eyes, eg by dust, smoke, air conditioning or drafts
• Toxins like chlorine, formaldehyde or  amalgam

Painful Burning eyes : diagnosis

To determine the cause of the eye burn, the doctor first needs more information from the person concerned - for example, if he suspects a particular trigger. Therefore, the doctor may ask various questions, such as:

• Since when do your eyes burn?
• Is only one eye or are both eyes affected?
• Does the burning of the eyes only occur in certain situations?
• Do you often work on the computer?
• Do you come into contact with dusts, gases or toxic substances during your work?

Burning eyes diagnosis

The doctor then examines the eyes, paying attention to abnormalities such as signs of inflammation, such as swelling or redness of the eyes and eyelids. In most cases, he also performs an  eye test in order to exclude any possible eyestrain from undetected low vision.

Depending on the suspected cause of the burning eyes, the doctor initiates further examinations, such as:

• an examination of the tear fluid,
• an allergy test or
• a microscopic examination of a smear from the eye, in which possible pathogens can be detected.

Painful Burning Eyes : Therapy

Painful burning eye diagnosed

In eyestrain the therapy depends on the particular cause . If the reason for the burning eyes is an overexertion due to poor eyesight, this can be corrected with a  visual aid . If you work on the computer for a long time, you should take regular breaks to relieve the strain on the eyes. Cold compresses and  tear replacement fluid can calm burning eyes in the short term.

Painful Burning Eyes as a result of a bacterial eye infection, the doctor usually prescribed antibiotics in the form of eye drops. Eye inflammation caused by viruses can usually not be treated causally. The treatment is usually limited to relieving the symptoms until the inflammation heals on its own. An exception are eye infections with herpes viruses (ocular herpes):  agents such as  acyclovir (eg in the form of eye drops) inhibit the proliferation of herpes viruses. In other cases, decongestant eye drops with cortisone relieve the symptoms in eye burns  . A fungal infection of the eye can be controlled by anti fungal (Antiphonals).

Has the person affected by a Allergy (eg hay fever ) burning eyes, is the first step of the therapy, as far as possible to avoid the allergy-causing substance. To relieve the symptoms, the doctor may prescribe eye drops with so-called  mast cell stabilizers and / or antihistamines . A causal treatment of the allergy can be done by means of ahyposensitization.

If burning eyes appear as an acute emergency, because (usually liquid) toxins have entered the eye, it is important to rinse the eye immediately with water and to see a doctor as soon as possible.

If Eye Burning is an accompanying symptom of another underlying disease, it should be treated.

Read More