About Brain Cancer and Eye Pain

There are many explanations for eye pain, ranging from simple to serious. Whether eye pain is temporary or persistent, it’s a signal you should not ignore. Even after pain is no longer present, it is important to see an optometrist and get an eye exam. Fortunately, eye pain is not a common symptom of brain cancer.

Brain Cancer Signs

The most common symptoms are headaches, problems with walking or balance, weakness and seizures. Many brain cancer patients have unique experiences with symptoms. Because they depend on which areas of the brain are affected, symptoms will vary greatly person to person. Most common signs of brain cancer have to do with changes in your mental state. Though vision loss can signal a tumor, changes in ability and personality are usually present first, and are more often indicative of a problem in the brain.

Possible Causes of Eye Pain

Eye pain can be a sign of any number of serious health problems, and should be evaluated by an optometrist immediately. Many eye injuries and problems can be prevented with correct action. Sudden eye pain often happens when you get a foreign object or material in your eye, because of the many nerve endings so close to the surface. A common cause of achy, dull pain in the eye is strain. If you have been reading, staring at a screen, or straining your eyes otherwise for an extended period, rest them by closing them, taking a break and doing gentle exercises to relax the muscles around your eyes. While these are the most common, there are many problems that eye pain can indicate. It is important to describe the kind of pain you have to your optometrist, and have him evaluate your eyes in person. The optometrist can check for inner injuries, pressure and many other treatable problems, including diseases that affect other parts of the body).

Examples of Eye Pain Causes

• Trauma and infections can cause inflammation inside your eye. This is called Iritis, and usually also includes a red eye. Fortunately, this cause is uncommon.

• Some kinds of glaucoma can cause sudden eye pain, along with nausea and headache. The pressure buildup caused by the glaucoma in this case can permanently blind you if you do not seek immediate emergency medical attention.

• Sinus infections or sinus swelling often causes pain in one or both eyes.

• Loss of vision and pain behind your eye can signal inflammation of your optic nerve. Called "Optic Neuritis," this is usually caused by an autoimmune disorder.