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Conditions and Diseases > Vision and Eye Disorders Forum > Persistent Eye Pressure / Strain
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Q: Persistent Eye Pressure / Strain
asked by: earlybirdfyl on June 18th, 2008
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Hi, I'm a male 38 years of age. I've been having an eye problem unlike one I've ever experienced. Historically I don't have a long list of eye issues--I was diagnosed around age 20 for nearsightedness and since then where glasses in select situations (e.g., driving at night or in unfamiliar areas, large classrooms, etc.) I also have experienced on again-off again eye strain as part of a symptom set from computer strain (e.g., hurting wrists, tight neck/shoulders). This I have managed reasonably well with eye relaxing exercises I've found in books, the Internet, etc. (In general over the last 10 years I've probably spent 40-60 hours / week on the computer for work, personal, etc.)

However, over the last 4 weeks, I've experienced a type of eye strain that is different. At first I assumed it was just related to close-up work (and indeed perhaps it in part is). I was dong a lot more reading in April and May than usual and started to feel "eye strain", so I started to do those relaxing exercises. It felt a little different though & it was a little while before I realized that it wasn't the same kind of strain. I was feel discomfort or pressure, particularly on the inside of the eye towards the nose and also along the bottom on the eye. This slowly appeared and got worse, plateauing over the last week. My eyes get strained more readily when doing reading / computer work now but the discomfort, while it wanes if I don't do any work, doesn't go away. Also, I experience some increased discomfort while driving. It kind of suggests to me that under any circumstance where my eyes are put under some duress, they feel "tighter". That said, my range of motion, clarity, etc. haven't changed. I know that as you age your ability to focus on close objects lessens but I also haven't really lost any ability to focus clearly on close objects--I measured that I can see objects to about 6" before blurring.

Interestingly, over the last few weeks I also developed slight wrist pains and my shoulders and neck have been tighter. It's felt too like perhaps some of the muscles around my eye or on my head have been a little tighter. Also, I have been waking up to a feel of post nasal drip, though not stuffiness. I know there is a lot of pollen in the air and traditionally I've had a minor allergy to it, but I don't know if allergies or sinus issues could be related to what I'm experiencing.

Any suggestions / interpretations are appreciated.
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earlybirdfyl
replied on June 23rd, 2008
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Update
A cousin of mine's husband is an optometrist and he just gave me a pretty thorough exam. It turns out that in the 15 years since I got my last glasses prescription (and the 5-10 years since my last exam), my nearsightedness has actually become less so. That is (if I understand the #'s correctly), I've gone from -1.50 to -.75. At the time I had gotten that prescription I had been seen several times so I don't think it was a case of a quick "one-off" where a mistake was made. Perhaps that only other notable thing (I don't know technical terms) is when a pen was held out to me and I closed one eye and then opened it & closed the other, apparently I saw the pen shift more than probably the average person would. Interestingly, while my pupils have been dilated, the pressure I woke up with has been less. In general though it still seems like my eyes are experiencing a "susceptibility" to strain that has been quite limiting. Whether it's reading (which I've basically stopped doing), computer work (which I've significantly reduced), or even driving (or just waking up), my eyes get a feeling of tightness / pressure on the inside towards the nose. When not doing any of these things for a few days, I definitely see some relief . . . some but not total--as my eyes quick strain again doing something.
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tommy18
replied on November 13th, 2009
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Hi! I am a 29 year old male and I have been suffering from pressure and tightness on the left side of the face when reading. At first it started at the back of the eyes and now has spread to the left side of the head and face. The pressure and tightness also seems to shift on the left side. I have changed my eye glasses several times. Have done MRI, Sinus scan which are normal. This is the first time I have come across a person who is experiencing the same symptoms as mine. At the moment I'm trying accupucture but has not helped so far. I hope you will find some relief from the work you are doing. please keep in touch.
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