What to know about a headache behind the eyes

Pain behind the eyes can affect one or both sides, and it may occur with light sensitivity and other types of discomfort. A doctor can identify the cause of a headache behind the eyes and recommend the best course of treatment.

Keep reading for more information about the causes of pain behind the eyes and how to treat them.

Eye strain

Staring at a screen for too long may cause eye strain.

Focusing and refocusing on a screen for long periods can cause eye strain, which can also result from problems with vision.

Fatigue from eye strain can cause pain behind one or both eyes. A person may also experience pain in their eyes or blurry vision.

Causes

Some underlying health issues that cause eye strain include:

• optic neuritis, which is inflammation of the optic nerve.
• scleritis, which is severe inflammation of the white part of the eye
• glaucoma, a disease that affects the optic nerve
• Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder

Staring at a computer, TV, or phone screen for long periods can also cause eye strain.

Migraine

Migraine is a very common condition, affecting about 12% of people in the United States.

A migraine headache can cause extreme pain behind the eyes, and it can last for up to 72 hours.

In addition to a migraine headache, a person may experience:

• eye pain
• dizziness
• weakness
• nausea
• sensitivity to light and sound
• mood changes
• vomiting
• impaired vision