---
title: "Eye pain | Eye Health Guide"
description: "Common causes of eye pain, from a scratch or stye to inflammation, and warning signs like severe pain with nausea or vision loss needing emergency care."
url: https://eyehealthguide.org/symptoms/eye-pain/
source: Eye Health Guide
licence: "General information only. Cite the URL and the named medical reviewer."
---

Symptom

# Eye pain

Severe eye pain is an emergency

Medical reviewer [Mr Mohamed Mohyudin](https://eyehealthguide.org/reviewers/mohamed-mohyudin/)· Last recorded site review July 6, 2026

### About this review

This page inherits the site’s previous review record. A separate, current article sign-off has not yet been recorded.

[How review works](https://eyehealthguide.org/reviewers/) · [Official biography & credentials](https://mohamedmohyudin.co.uk/author/mohamed-mohyudin/)

Quick answer

Eye pain ranges from minor irritation to a sign of something serious. Surface causes such as a scratch, stye or dryness are common. Severe eye pain, especially with reduced vision, nausea, or halos around lights, is an emergency and needs immediate care.

## When to get urgent help

- Severe eye pain, especially with reduced vision
- Pain with nausea, vomiting or halos around lights
- Pain after an injury or chemical splash
- Pain with marked light sensitivity or a very red eye

### On this page ⌄

1. When to get urgent help
2. Common causes
3. What can help
4. Frequently asked questions

## Common causes

Eye pain has many causes. These are common ones, with the conditions to read about next.

## What can help

- Warm compresses ease a stye or blepharitis
- Lubricating drops help surface dryness and grittiness
- Treat severe pain, or pain with vision loss, as an emergency

## Frequently asked questions

### When is eye pain an emergency?

Severe eye pain, especially with reduced vision, nausea, halos around lights, or after an injury or chemical splash, needs immediate care.

### Why does my eye hurt but look normal?

Dry eye, eye strain and early surface problems can cause discomfort with little to see. Persistent or severe pain should still be assessed.

### What is the difference between sore and painful eyes?

Mild soreness is often from dryness, strain or blepharitis, while significant pain, especially with vision changes, points to causes that need prompt attention.

Your next step

## Take this to your appointment

Write down what has changed, when it started, your current medicines and the questions you want answered. Take these to your eye-care appointment.

Sudden loss of sight, severe eye pain or a dark curtain across vision needs immediate assessment. Do not wait to complete a worksheet.

## Trusted sources

For general background, these organisations provide eye-health information. This list is further reading, not a record that they reviewed this article.

- [NHS — Health A to Z](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/)
- [Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust](https://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/)
- [American Academy of Ophthalmology — EyeHealth](https://www.aao.org/eye-health)
- [National Eye Institute (NIH)](https://www.nei.nih.gov/)
- [College of Optometrists — Look After Your Eyes](https://lookafteryoureyes.org/)
- [World Health Organization — Eye care, vision impairment and blindness](https://www.who.int/health-topics/blindness-and-vision-loss)