Updated on
Vision Center is funded by our readers. We may earn commissions if you purchase something via one of our links.
In this article
Headaches occur in all parts of the head. Some even affect the neck and shoulders.
It’s common for someone experiencing a headache to feel pain in their face, especially around or behind their eyes.
Headaches that affect your eyes might also affect vision and sensitivity to light.
Understanding what the location of your headache means can help you alleviate the pain and avoid the same type of headache in the future.
Most of the time, a headache behind the eyes does not mean anything serious. Sometimes it’s linked to vision problems or eye strain. However, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention if you frequently experience headaches that involve your eyes.
Here are seven common causes of headaches behind the eyes:
Tension headaches are a common type of headache and usually aren’t a cause for concern.
However, they’re uncomfortable and can interfere with daily life.
Typically, people prone to tension headaches experience about one or two a month. Some people experience them far more frequently.
Symptoms of tension headaches include:
Migraines cause pain, pressure, and severe pain behind the eyes. They also affect vision and other senses.
Many people experience migraine pain severe enough to diminish their quality of life. A migraine headache causes excruciating pain and can be similar to an illness that prevents you from performing your usual daily tasks.
Other symptoms of migraines include:
A cluster headache includes multiple short and painful headaches. Most last for less than an hour but can cause hours-long pain as they “cluster” together in occurrence.
Cluster headaches trigger piercing headache pain, usually behind one eye. Other symptoms include:
Sometimes problems with vision are the cause of headaches behind the eyes.
Eyestrain is also associated with too much time spent looking at computer screens, phone screens, or televisions.
Other causes of headaches linked to the eyes include:
Sinus infections, sometimes called sinusitis, occur when the lining of the sinuses is inflamed or there is congestion.
Typically, pressure across the cheeks, forehead, and behind the eyes accompanies congestion. This headache pain is usually uncomfortable but not unbearable.
Sinus headaches also trigger:
Poor posture leads to misalignments in the soft tissues. Long-term, poor posture leads to weakening of the muscles in the surrounding area. This causes frequent headaches behind the eyes.
Brain aneurysms cause intense pain. They occur when the artery wall of the brain weakens and causes hemorrhage or stroke.
Symptoms of headaches behind the eyes include:
There are several potential triggers of headaches behind the eyes, including:
Often, the cause of your headache affects what triggers it. Several things can trigger migraines, including:
Several things trigger tension headaches, including:
Several things trigger cluster headaches, including:
Treatment for headaches behind the eyes is based on the cause. However, one of the best treatments for any type of headache is to prevent it before it happens. This means avoiding triggers and acting fast at the first sign of pain.
Most people treat mild to moderate headaches with over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers. These include acetaminophen, naproxen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Note: OTC medications should only be used occasionally. Although generally safe, they can trigger side effects, including rebound headaches.
Other remedies that help relieve the pain associated with most headaches include:
People experiencing severe or frequent headaches might benefit from prescription medications. Doctors sometimes prescribe muscle relaxants, beta-blockers, or antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil) to alleviate tension headaches. These medications can also help reduce the risk of developing future headaches.
The pain from a tension headache might be eased by:
For many people, the only relief for migraine headaches is a prescription medication. Drugs prescribed to help with migraines include triptans such as:
Cluster headaches are also treated with medications, including:
Sinus headaches usually require antibiotics if related to an infection and decongestants to alleviate the sinus pressure causing the pain.
Additionally, symptoms can be managed by breathing warm, moist air and with warm compresses.
The pain from vision-related headaches might be eased by:
If you notice your headaches continue or worsen even with the appropriate treatment methods, you should speak to your doctor. The problem might be associated with a more serious condition.
In this article
All Vision Center content is medically reviewed and fact-checked by a licensed optometrist to ensure the information is factual and meets industry standards.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only cite from recent scientific research, scholarly articles, textbooks, government agencies, optometry websites, and medical journals.