Feeling Pressure Behind Eyes: Know the Causes
Pressure behind the eyes can feel like a feeling of fullness behind the eyes or a stretching sensation.
It is different from eye pain and can cause a lot of uneasiness.
Feeling pressure behind your eyes doesn’t always mean there’s something wrong with your eyes.
This pressure is rarely a result of an eye condition.
It often starts in parts of the body surrounding the eyes.
Pressure behind your eyes could be a result of various underlying conditions.
These conditions might have additional symptoms as well.
Only after diagnosing these symptoms can a proper treatment regimen be followed.
Following are the most commonly associated conditions with pressure behind the eyes and their symptoms.
Migraines and other headaches
According to the American Migraine Foundation, pain in and around the eye is usually caused by a headache.
Migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are associated with a feeling of pressure behind the eyes.
Other symptoms may include:
- Pulsating pain in the head
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Soreness in neck and shoulders
Sinus infection
Sinus infection, or Sinusitis, occurs when bacteria and viruses attack the spaces behind your eyes, nose, and cheeks (sinuses).
This causes swelling and inflammation of the sinuses.
One common symptom of Sinusitis, especially Sphenoid Sinusitis, is throbbing pain and pressure behind the eyeballs.
Other symptoms include:
- Runny or stuffed nose
- Thick yellow or green mucus
- Cough
- Headache
- Ear pain or pressure
- Fatigue
- Fever
Optic Neuritis
Optic Neuritis is a condition causing irritation and inflammation of the optic nerve.
It could happen because of an underlying disease or without any known cause.
Side effects like pain and temporary loss of vision reach their peak within a few days.
However, it takes them 4 to 12 weeks to start improving.
Symptoms of optic Neuritis include
- Blurry vision
- Dim vision
- Colors appearing dull and faded
- Pain in the back of the eye socket
- Pain on moving your eyes
Graves’ disease
Graves’ disease results from an immune system disorder that attacks the thyroid gland.
It results in the production of excess thyroid hormones (Hyperthyroidism).
About 30% of people suffering from Graves’ disease show signs of Graves’ ophthalmopathy.
This causes the muscles and tissues behind the eye to swell.
Its symptoms may include:
- Pain or pressure in the eyes
- Bulging eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Reddened or inflamed eyes
- Puffy or retracted eyelids
- Double vision
- Gritty sensation in the eyes
Toothache
As bizarre as it may seem, toothache may affect your eyes.
An issue with jaw alignment or bite might make your facial muscles tense.
This may lead to pain and pressure around other parts of the face, including the eyes and head.
Injury to the face
Face injuries, like those from a car accident or playing sports, might lead to a sensation of pressure and pain around and behind the eyes.
Fractures to the eye socket could hurt the eye muscles, nerves, and sinuses.
Some symptoms of such injuries are:
- Black eye
- Double or blurry vision
- Numbness around the injured area
- Swelling
- Bluging or sunken eye
Diagnosis and treatment
Pressure behind the eyes in itself might not be a medical concern.
But it might be a sign of a more severe problem, as discussed above.
See a doctor immediately if you notice symptoms like vision issues, bulging eyes, frequent headaches, etc.
Your doctor might perform some tests to conclude their diagnosis.
Typically used techniques to help your doctor diagnose includes the following:
- Blood tests to determine hormone levels
- CT scans to develop an accurate image of the brain and organs
- MRI scans are another technique for mapping the brain and body
- Endoscopy to investigate the health of the sinuses
- Radioactive iodine uptake to scan your thyroid
- Ultrasound test to take pictures of the inside of your body
Once they figure out the underlying cause, your doctor might prescribe a treatment accordingly.
Takeaway
The pressure you feel behind your eyes might not be because of an eye condition.
Mostly, it results from conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the eyes.
The underlying condition must be diagnosed to treat the pressure behind your eyes effectively.
It might be due to simple headaches or sinus conditions, which can be dealt with easily.
However, it might also indicate a more significant condition, such as Graves’ disease or Optic Neuritis.
In such a case, seek further treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to relieve pressure behind the eye?
Pressure behind the eyes usually results from an underlying condition such as migraine, Sinusitis, etc. To relieve this pressure, diagnosing the cause becomes necessary. Once diagnosed and treated, the pressure behind the eyes subsides by itself.
Why do I feel pressure behind my eyes?
You might feel pressure behind your eyes because of certain conditions. They might not necessarily be caused due to an eye condition. Migraine, headaches, Sinusitis, toothache, Graves’ disease, Optic Neuritis, or an injury to the face could be probable causes of feeling pressure behind the eye.
Can wearing contacts cause pressure behind the eyes?
Wearing contact lenses might not cause pressure behind the eyes. It can cause your eyes to strain. Pressure behind the eyes is usually caused by a condition affecting the tissue surrounding the face.
What does pressure behind the eye feel like?
Pressure behind the eyes feels like fullness behind the eyes or a stretching sensation. It is different from eye pain which is a stabbing, stinging, or burning sensation.
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