Eye hurts to move- so scared!

[LilyLabVA]

This morning my eye hurts to move. Like when I look side to side or up or down it’s like a deep muscle ache. This is also a symptom of optic neuritis. I’m so freaked out. Please help!!
I did read an article in bed this morning without my glasses on (I have bad vision) so it technically could be strain but it’s intense. I took Advil. I also cried last night but that is not unusual.
Vision is not blurry or anything , eye is not red.
Anyone else get achy eyes with movement?

[Carys]

Yep, had it often, but not in recent years as it happens...It is exactly what you describe it as a deep muscle pain upon movement. You can very easily strain the delicate muscles round the eyes, of which there are many, and the result is what you are experiencing now. The last time I had it it was from straining my eyesight to the left to see something for hours.

[LilyLabVA]

Thanks so much. How did you handle it? Doctor? How long until it went away?

[Carys]

No, I've never been to the doctor and never would with something so minor, theres nothing they can do about muscle strains. I was careful not to strain my eyes again, and tried to ensure I didn't over stretch my eye movements over the rest of the day and the following day. (I've remembered I once had it after a bad cold, where I was sneezing a lot too) It lasted only a day or so, and just like a muscle in your leg or arm it will gradually fade away and slowly improve.

[LilyLabVA]

Took Advil and it didn’t touch the pain. It’s on the slightest movement of my eye. I’m convinced it’s optic nueritis. So far no loss of vision or color but I feel like that’s next! So terrified and being the holiday weekend my eye DR will likely be closed till Wednesday

[Carys]

If your eye becomes red, if the vision is affected in any way, if the pain becomes worse and isn't eased by pain-killers, then this is a reason to see medical attention as soon as possible. ONly you know how you are feeling and how bad the pain is, when I get my eye pain it feels like it is around the socket and not the eyeball itself. There are lots of conditions that can cause eye pain, not just optical neuritis, and even that is reversible if treated.

[Havefaithx]

I have had eye pain when I’ve had a bad headache before, moving my eyes around would cause me a lot of pain and often they felt bruised. If you are still feeling bad tomorrow and worried there is no harm nipping to an out of hours dr x

[LilyLabVA]

I’m back. Enjoyed a nice day with my family but my Eye ached the whole time. It was very difficult to bury the feelings of dread and impending doom. Every once in a while I get a slight sense of relief thinking this actually could just be eyestrain and that other people have had it in fact I have had it before and it has grown away. But most of that is overshadowed with what If thinking and catastrophizing. Yes I have had this happen before a few years ago which may bring me some comfort except for the fact that I believe it may have been optic neuritis back then and now just returning because I probably do have MS. Funny thing I don’t wish MS on myself or anyone but it doesn’t bring me as much fear as other things I know many people who live wonderful lives with MS and that you can live a long life. I worry more about testing and such the MRI and what if something else is seem like a brain tumor. Anyway I appreciate everyone’s replies it really helps when someone has experienced the same thing and actually explains their experience. I don’t have high hopes that this will be gone tomorrow. I hope and pray that my vision does not become blurry or that I get any other symptoms and that these next few days I can have some sense of peace. My poor family just does not believe anything I say anymore they probably have never even heard of optic neuritis so when I say my eye hurts they all just rolled their eyes. I’m very close with my husband my sister-in-law my own parents and sister and every single one of them does not take me serious any longer due to 10 years of this crap. I am in CBT therapy twice a week and on medication I’ve had a great couple weeks lately until of this I eye ache happened ��

---------- Post added at 21:59 ---------- Previous post was at 21:45 ----------

Also I feel that I am not giving this incident as much credit as I should. I have a very bad astigmatism and my vision requires A strong prescription. This morning I laid in bed and put my phone up to my eyes to read an article without my glasses or contacts. I have done this before without any problem but since my eye was really hurting today I wonder if 20 minutes of straining to read that article could Be the cause of the pain. I guess a non-anxiety person would think that. I however have that in the back of my mind but the forefront of my mind is all the other sinister things it could be

[Carys]

So, any update, has the aching resolved ?

I wonder if 20 minutes of straining to read that article could Be the cause of the pain. I guess a non-anxiety person would think that.

err....yes lol

[LilyLabVA]

So I don’t want to become too relived yet but I’d say my eyes are 80% improved. After a good nights sleep and lots of resetting eye drops and not putting in contact facts (glasses instead) it seems I’m on the other side. We will see. I don’t know if any of those things I mentioned helped or if time was the simple answer.
Thank s for reminding me to update. I can’t stand reading a threat and never knowing the outcome!