Eyes increasingly sensitive to light/more headaches. Any advice?

[shadypines]

Hi, my eyes have always been sensitive to bright light eg if they caught the sun or the flash of a photocopier for a few seconds then I would have a headache the rest of the day. But in the last month or so I have got worse and working on a VDU is not easy (this is a large part of my work). My eyes sting and feel irritated, sometimes water a lot and it is usually accompanied by a headache in the centre of my forehead, between eyebrows region, like some sticking a knife in there. My eyes stung so much at work one time I thought I must have had an allergy to something and it was also accompanied by a constant runny nose but I don't usually get the runny nose. I don't normally have any allergies or hayfever so this sort of thing is unusual for me, I am aware allergies do not follow much script though and can suddenly appear!

I do have raised intra ocular pressure but not glaucoma (as yet) but I am not aware this sort of thing is a symptom and it has never been mentioned as being by the ophthalmologist.

I would be really grateful for any replies, thanks MN ers

I should prob say I am in my late forties, if that helps.

I would go to an optician. Do you need stronger glasses or need an intermediate lens for seeing the computer. Try some artificial tears too. Dry eyes can water excessively. (Daft but it's true)

There's three things I can think of.

1. As the other poster suggested dryness.
2. A muscle imbalance (usually an exophoria) can cause those symptoms. make sure the top of your screen is level with your eyes and arms length away, look away every few minutes.

If it is this its easily diagnosed and special glasses can be prescribed with prisms.

1. Its unlikely, but the other thing it could be is intermittent angle closure, which is a type of glaucoma. The ophthalmologist should have done a check of your anterior chamber angles at your hospital visit using a goniolens.

Anyway, I'd go and have an eye test (your employer has to pay as you use a VDU) 1&2 are easily diagnosed. 3. you can check with your GP as the letter back from the hospital when you had your last check should contain this information.

Of course, you also may just need some glasses!

thank you all for the replies. I have needed glasses since I was a child and have an eye check every year and have also just seen my eye specialist but it was just becoming a problem during my last trip to hosp and I didn't feel the need to mention it then, suppose I thought it would pass. The specialist said everything was stable and did not prescribe anything. The optician had already advised the dry eye drops.

I can feel a trip to the doctor coming on.....

I assume your ophthalmologist has ruled out acute or sub acute glaucoma, since you have recently seen them.
Do you have glasses made especially for VDU work? I imagine you already have either separate stronger glasses for reading, or a multifocal pair for all working distances, so please ignore me if they have already been checked correct for screen use. Mid to late 40s is a typical age to need differing prescriptions for differing working distances for the first time. Is the air conditioning at work drying your tears out faster than needed - can you move things around a little to reduce this? Is there something new (like new carpet) at work that could be affecting you (new carpets often set me off). There are different types of tear supplement (dry eye) drops, so if you think the drops are not helping perhaps go back to your optometrist for advice.