Sore Eyes Causes

Sore eye is really bothersome when the vision is affected and the concerned person is unable to see things around him or her clearly. It can be felt in just one eye or both. The soreness is accompanied by swelling, burning sensation and irritation in the eyes. Sometimes, water like discharge may occur. As a result, the eyelids get stuck after sleeping and it becomes difficult to open the eyes in the morning. People of any age group can develop this problem including small children and the elderly.

Causes of Sore Eyes

Conjunctivitis or pink eye is the most prevalent cause behind soreness in the eyes. It is an eye condition where inflammation occurs in the thin membrane named conjunctiva that covers the inner part of the eyelids and eyeball. Basically, there are three different forms of conjunctivitis. One is the bacterial conjunctivitis, second is viral conjunctivitis and the third one is chemical conjunctivitis which is triggered by allergens or harsh chemicals that are present in soap, shampoo, etc. In all the three cases, the eyes turn red and severe itching sensation is felt in them. It also leads to watery discharge from the eyes. The infective conjunctivitis is highly contagious in nature and can spread easily from one person to the other. This can happen because of direct contact or through the contact of handkerchief, towels and tissue papers used by an infected person.

Allergic reaction in the eyes is another cause of sore eyes. Dust, smoke, pollution, pollen grains are the main triggers of these allergies. It occurs more in the summer months when the suspended particles fly in the air and enter the eyes. The two common symptoms of allergies affecting the eyes are constant itchiness and watering of the eyes. It often makes the eyes photosensitive and one experiences pain in the eyes on exposure to light. Other allergy symptoms like runny nose and sore throat are also observed.

Our eyes are covered with a thin layer of tear that provides a lubricating effect to the eyes. When the tear gland or the lacrimal gland that produces the tears dry up, the condition is known as dry eyes. As a result, there are less tears and the eyes turn sore and sensitive. There is often lack of tears in the eyes at night because of prolonged use of the eyes throughout the day. For this reason, the soreness due to dry eyes is felt mostly in the morning. The dry eyes condition arises due to aging, side effects of certain medicines, inflammation in the tear glands, etc.

Excessive eye strain can make them sore. Eyes tend to become fatigue tired if you spend long hours working in front of the computer or television. This is because while doing such tasks you blink very less and the eyes dry out. It results in blurred vision, sore eyes and headache. The eye strain symptoms worsen further if the indoor air is dry, like inside a heated or air-conditioned room.

Sore Eyes Treatment

The treatment of sore eyes depends on its underlying cause. Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are treated with eye drops that contain antibiotic ingredients. Warm compression by placing warm, wet cloth on the eyes is highly beneficial for infective conjunctivitis as it prevents the growth of the germs. For allergic conjunctivitis, frequent flushing of eyes with plain tap water is a must. In cases of other form of allergies, anti-inflammatory eye drops and oral antihistamine medicines are prescribed. For dry eye condition, eye drops and ointments are given that can improve the production of the tears. Eye strain due to prolonged use of the eyes for reading or using the computer can be relieved by taking frequent breaks in between and blinking the eyes quite frequently.

You can prevent most of the sore eyes causes with the help of proper eye care. Wash the eyes at least 2-3 times in a day to clean up the dust and germs accumulated in them and thus reduce the chances of infections and allergies. Never touch your eyes with unwashed hands. Do not share your towels, napkins, handkerchief and eye cosmetics with others.