• Cluster Headaches
• Migraines

What Causes a Headache Behind the Eyes?

When you feel pain behind the eyes, it’s usually pressure from a primary headache. Primary headaches are a group of the most commonly experienced headaches. This includes tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches. However, there are still other types of headaches that can be the source of eye pain.

If the pain is so intense that it’s hard for you to keep your eyes open, you may be experiencing a secondary headache or neuropathy. These types of headaches are usually caused by a medical condition. 

While it’s difficult for healthcare providers to give a clear diagnosis for headaches, the type of pain you feel may give them an idea about what could be causing your pain.

What is a Headache?

A headache is a condition that causes pain when inflammation builds up in the nerves around the head and neck. Some headaches can be so intense that you have trouble focusing or thinking clearly.

Some types of headaches may feel like they never go away. Frequent headaches can be genetically passed on through generations. Chronic headaches can last for days or weeks at a time. 

What is a tension headache?

Tension headaches don’t always have a known cause, but eye pain is most likely from eye strain.  Symptoms of eye strain from staring at a screen or reading for a long time include dryness, redness, and pain in the eyes.

Tension headaches can cause head and eye pain for several reasons including dehydration, lack of sleep, and incorrect posture putting pressure on the head and neck. The severity of these types of headaches varies.

What is a migraine?

Migraines are a more severe type of headache. They may cause a throbbing pain that tends to last much longer than tension headaches. Those who experience migraines may want to avoid loud noises or bright lights to reduce the pain. Women are more likely to experience migraines than men.

Eye pain is sometimes the first sign of a migraine. Ocular migraines are a type of headache that leads to pain behind the eyes. The pain comes from an increase in sensitivity from the trigeminal nerves in the eyes.

What is a cluster headache?

A cluster headache is a type of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia (TAC). TACs are rare headaches that often cause pain on either side of the head. Cluster headaches cause sharp, severe pain that lasts for about 60 seconds at the same time daily. In rare cases, they can persist for months or years.

Cluster headaches often cause pain in one eye. The pain may be so intense that it causes redness and the eye to be watery.

Additional causes of headache pain behind the eyes

Other common causes of headache pain behind the eyes include:

• Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can cause head pain that radiates behind the eyes. A dehydration headache may also cause nausea and vomiting.

• Sinus infection: A sinus infection leads to pressure behind the nose, forehead, and behind the eyes from swelling and a build-up of fluid in the nasal passages.

• Dry eye syndrome: Dry eye syndrome is a chronic condition that causes eye dryness that can lead to pain and redness in the eyes.

• Graves’ syndrome: A condition caused by hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid). This can cause immobility in the eye, swelling, pressure behind the eye, and vision loss.

• Optic neuritis: Inflammation in the optic nerve that can lead to pain behind the eyes.

• Head trauma: An injury to the head can cause pressure to build up behind the eyes.

• Stroke: In some cases, a hemorrhagic stroke may cause vision loss and pain behind the eyes. This type of stroke causes bleeding in the brain. A stroke headache can cause severe pain behind the eyes and around the head.

• Allergies: Sinus pressure from allergies can cause pain behind the eyes. This often happens to people with seasonal allergies.

Symptoms of a Headache Behind the Eyes

The severity of a headache behind the eyes can range from mild to severe. Headache pain may radiate all over or only be felt behind the eyes or on one side of the head. 

Unilateral headaches or headaches that occur only on one side may cause pain in only the left eye or the right eye. There are no major differences between whether a headache occurs in one eye or the other. The potential causes for both can range from sinus inflammation and eye strain to strokes and other underlying health conditions.

Most pain behind the eyes is from a build-up of pressure in the area. Sinusitis is inflammation in the nasal passages that can cause pressure in the nasal cavity that radiates in the forehead, jaw, and behind the eyes.

Ocular migraines and sinus headaches cause moderate to severe pain behind the eyes. Other symptoms you may experience include:

• Blurred vision

• Seeing zig-zag lines

• Redness

• Watery eyes

• Droopy eyelid

• Swelling

It’s not uncommon to experience migraines and dry eye syndrome at the same time. Dry eye syndrome and migraines may both cause photophobia — a sensitivity to light.

How to Get Rid of a Headache Behind the Eyes

You can use OTC pain relievers to treat pain behind the eyes at home. A healthcare provider may recommend other remedies to treat additional symptoms that affect the eyes like chronic dry eye.

Be sure to consult a healthcare provider if you are experiencing additional symptoms besides pain behind the eyes during a headache. They may recommend topical corticosteroids or other medications to treat eye dryness and reduce inflammation.

Home remedies for a headache behind the eyes

Mild to moderate headaches may be easily treated at home. A warm compress may help relieve pain felt in the forehead and temples. 

Many people experience occasional headaches in the summer from not drinking enough water. Be sure to stay hydrated to avoid developing a headache from dehydration. 

Those who spend a lot of time in front of screens for work may experience headaches from looking at a computer and not blinking for hours during the day. Try to take breaks to prevent headaches and dry eyes.

Where Can I Learn More About Managing Headaches?

It’s not uncommon to experience the occasional pain behind the eyes after a long day of staring at screens or if you often have sinus infections. However, LifeMD can connect you with licensed healthcare providers who can provide tips about managing and treating headaches.

Schedule an appointment today to speak with a healthcare provider about treatment options and tips for managing pain.

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