Headaches and your eyes

Some eye conditions can make you overwork your eye muscles and can lead to headaches. For example astigmatism, hyperopia (long-sightedness), myopia (short-sightedness) and presbyopia can cause objects to look distorted or blurry and you'll struggle to see clearly without putting a strain on your eyes. This constant strain on your eyes can result in headaches. Another eye condition related to headaches is glaucoma which occurs from a build-up of pressure inside the eye.

Migraines and your eyes

Migraines are a type of headache that can be very severe. A 'migraine with aura' is associated with bright, flashing dots, wavy lines or temporary blindness. Without these visual signs, it is known as 'migraines without aura'. Visual signs without the headache are known as a silent migraine or a ‘migraine aura without the headache’.

Managing headache pain

Many eye conditions that lead to headaches can be treated with glasses. During a routine eye examination, your optician will test your eyesight and will be able to produce a prescription if glasses are required to correct your sight. Wearing the right lenses with the right prescription is important. It is recommended to have your eyes checked every two years, or more frequently if advised by your optician, this will ensure your prescription is up to date as well as your lenses. Wearing the right prescription lenses can ensure your eyes are not overworking.

Plenty of rest is advised for people suffering from a migraine with aura. Most of the visual warnings that come with this type of migraine are harmless and tend to disappear within half an hour. But if a migraine leads to unusual vision symptoms, an examination needs to be done to check for conditions that can damage sight.