Headaches and the Eye
Headaches can very frustrating and you may wonder if you should have an eye examination if you suffer with headaches. It is important to discuss your headaches with your primary care provider (PCP).
There are many causes of headaches. It is important to understand what is associated with your headache. Your PCP may want to know how often you have headaches, where they are located, what they feel like, how severe they are and what makes them better or worse. Your PCP may recommend an eye examination.
Eye Examination
Dr. Cindy Wang and I will perform a comprehensive eye examination including checking your need for glasses. If you have an need for glasses that has not been diagnosed, you may be experiencing eye strain or eyes that feel tired and sore. It is rare that a need for glasses causes a severe headache.
Occasionally, you may have a “hidden” need for glasses. This means that although you can read the eye chart well without glasses, your eye muscles need to work really hard. This is called latent hyperopia.
Sometimes you may feel discomfort only after a period of time such as reading or using your computer. You may be suffering from dry eyes as the cause of your discomfort.
It is also possible that muscle imbalances of your eye can contribute to eye strain and headaches when reading. This is called convergence insufficiency. We can check for this during your eye examination.
Could My Eye Examination Find Something Serious?
It is unlikely that your eye examination will find a serious problem relating to your headaches. It is important that Dr. Cindy Wang and I perform a comprehensive eye examination with dilation. This allows us to look at the back of the eye including your optic nerves.
Alaina Kronenberg, M.D.
Cataract Specialist
Comprehensive Ophthalmologist
Dearborn, Michigan 48126
