Pressure Behind Your Eyes: 8 Causes and Treatment
January 8, 2025 • 4:43 PM
If you notice pressure behind your eyes, you might be wondering what the possible causes could be. Plenty of factors can make your eyes feel uncomfortable, ranging from mild everyday nuisances to more severe eye conditions.
Below, we’ll give you a clearer picture of the main causes of pressure behind the eyes and help you figure out your next move to seek the relief you need.
What Are the Common Causes of Pressure Behind Eyes?
If you have a feeling of pressure behind your eyes, you might be dealing with one of the following issues. These problems can range from mild to severe, and it’s always a good idea to contact your eye doctor if you’re experiencing especially troubling symptoms.
1. Sinus Infections
Also known as sinusitis, sinus infections can cause pressure behind your eyes as your sinuses become inflamed. When these air-filled cavities swell due to allergies and other inflammatory sources, they can trap mucus in the areas behind your eyes and cause a buildup of pressure.
Sinus infections sometimes resolve on their own, but some — the bacterial type — call for antibiotics rather than over-the-counter decongestants. If you think you have a sinus infection, reach out to your doctor right away.
Other symptoms of sinus infections include congestion, headaches, and tenderness around your face. If you’re experiencing these symptoms together, a sinus infection is probably the underlying cause of your eye pressure.
2. Optic Neuritis
Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve, which connects your eyes to your brain. When this nerve gets inflamed, it can cause blurriness, loss of vision, and serious intraocular pressure( that means high pressure inside your eye).
Sometimes, optic neuritis also causes other vision problems, including eye pain, changes in color perception, and floaters. Talk to an ophthalmologist or other ocular specialist immediately if you notice any of these symptoms — especially severe pain near your eyes.
Optic neuritis often develops as a complication of autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis. If you have an autoimmune disease, your eye doctor should test for symptoms of optic neuritis regularly to catch them early on.
3. Toothaches
Problems with your teeth can cause pressure and pain behind your eyes. That’s because infections and abscesses in your upper row of teeth can affect the sinuses behind your eyes and cause eye strain, pressure, and different types of headaches.
If you have a toothache, you should visit your dentist. In addition to seeking dental attention, try to avoid putting pressure on the affected area, which can worsen the pain.
4. Pressure Changes
When you experience changes in atmospheric pressure, you might also feel a change in your eyes. This common cause of eye pressure can occur when flying or traveling to a high altitude, such as hiking in a mountain.
In this case, there’s no need to seek medical attention most of the time. Using eye drops to relieve irritation can be helpful, as can staying hydrated and taking over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen. The pressure behind your eyes should subside within a few minutes as your body adjusts.
5. Migraines
Migraines are a severe type of headache that can cause symptoms such as severe pain and pressure, blurry vision, and bright light sensitivity.
It’s believed that migraines are triggered by changes in brain activity that affect blood vessels and nerves throughout your body. People experience migraines for many different reasons, including in response to certain foods, stressful situations, or menstruation.
If you regularly have migraines, talk to your doctor. Over-the-counter pain relievers can be helpful in some cases, but you’ll need formal medical advice from your healthcare provider to get a more comprehensive plan.
6. Graves’ Disease
Graves’ disease is a thyroid eye disease caused by an overactive thyroid gland, which, in turn, causes the tissues and muscles around your eye sockets to become inflamed.
As a result, some people with Graves’ disease experience symptoms like bulging eyes, double vision, and eye pressure. In most cases, treating these eye health issues starts with getting your thyroid levels under control with help from an endocrinologist.
7. Glaucoma
This group of eye conditions affects the optic nerve that connects your eyes to your brain. Increased eye pressure over time can lead to the development of glaucoma, which — especially in cases of acute angle-closure glaucoma — can cause pain and discomfort.
Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that requires long-term eye care. Over time, it can cause major vision loss, especially if treatment is not started early in the disease’s development.
In addition to eye pain and pressure, other symptoms of glaucoma include blurred vision, seeing halos around bright lights, and, in some cases, nausea. Glaucoma must be diagnosed with a comprehensive eye exam, which includes measuring the pressure inside your eyes, visual field tests and other ocular imaging.
8. Digital Eye Strain
Sometimes, the cause of the pressure behind your eyes isn’t a serious condition — it’s simply the result of looking at a screen for too long.
Overuse of digital devices like your phone, tablet, or laptop can lead to symptoms like dry eyes, blurry vision, and even eye pressure in some cases. Too much staring at a screen can also cause tension headaches, especially when your computer or phone posture isn’t the best.
If you think you’re dealing with digital eye strain, there’s no need to panic. That said, it’s worth making small changes to your lifestyle and the way you use tech to avoid more discomfort.
For example, it’s a good idea to take a break from your screens every 20 minutes. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: After 20 minutes of digital work, spend 20 seconds looking at something at least 20 feet away.
What Are Some Home Remedies for Eye Pressure?
If you’ve narrowed down the possible causes of pressure behind your eyes, you can start to focus on using home remedies and over-the-counter medicine to seek relief. Here are a few of the best ways to manage the pressure behind your eyes:
Use Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers and Decongestants
Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen can be a big help when you have pain and pressure behind your eyes. Additionally, if you have eye pressure from a cold or sinus infection, an OTC decongestant might be just what you need to achieve relief.
Seek Sinus Pressure Relief
If sinus pressure is making your eyes hurt, you can use a DIY method to relieve some of that pressure and breathe easily.
Menthol is one of the best sources of quick relief from sinus pressure. For some folks, a menthol-based cough drop can be helpful for easing pressure and making the eye and nose area feel more comfortable.
Additionally, some people swear by a tool like a neti pot to get rid of congestion and sinus pressure, along with theeye pressure it can cause. This isn’t for everyone, but it can be a source of potential relief.
Finally, a warm compress on your eyes can reduce some pressure. This remedy can be helpful if you’re dealing with a tension headache that hurts your eyes. The warmth is soothing, and while it may not make the root cause of your pressure go away, the compress can provide a helping hand.
How To Tell if Eye Pressure Is Serious
It can be hard to tell whether the pressure behind your eyes is a source of serious concern. In general, it’s best to rely on insight from your eye doctor rather than trying to self-diagnose.
In many cases, eye pressure is just a harmless (but uncomfortable) side effect of something mundane, such as air pressure changes or an everyday headache. However, if the pressure persists for a long time or gets worse, with visual symptoms such as floaters, flashing lights, partial or full vision loss, visit your eye doctor and get it checked out.
Get Out From Under Pressure
Taking good care of your eyes is an investment in your long-term health and happiness. That often means getting checkups from your eye doctor, but it might also look like ordering a new pair of glasses or contact lenses.
If you’re ready for some stylish new frames, we’ve got you covered. Head over to Pair to check out our full selection of Base Frames and Top Frames, along with other useful eye accessories.
Sources:
Sinus Infection (Sinusitis): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment | Cleveland Clinic
Migraine - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic