Headaches & Eye Strain
Headaches from your eyes are common, and often fixable.
If your headaches come after reading, screen time or driving, or build through the day, your eyes may be working harder than they should. At our Odessa and East Lake (Palm Harbor) offices, Dr. Tumolo, Dr. Than and our doctors find and correct eye-related causes of headaches every day, in adults and kids.
Headaches have many causes. An eye exam can find or rule out the eye-related ones. If your headaches continue, also see your primary care doctor.
Eye causes we find most often
- Astigmatism. Even a small uncorrected amount makes your eyes strain to keep things clear, which can lead to squinting and headaches.
- Hidden (latent) farsightedness. Your eye's focusing muscle covers it up by working harder all the time. You may pass a vision screening and still get headaches and tired eyes. It's common in kids and young adults.
- An outdated prescription, or early presbyopia. Prescriptions change, and in your 40s close focus starts to take more effort.
- Dry eye and screen strain. Long screen time means less blinking, which can leave eyes tired and irritated. Dry eye treatment.
How we find it
We start with a comprehensive eye exam and ask about when your headaches happen. When hidden farsightedness is possible, the most reliable way to uncover it is an exam with drops that temporarily relax the eye's focusing muscle (cycloplegic drops). Your vision may be blurry and sensitive to light for a few hours afterward, so bring sunglasses and plan for a driver if you need one.
How we fix it
- An accurate prescription. Often this alone brings relief.
- Building up astigmatism correction in steps. For moderate to high astigmatism, we may increase your correction over more than one pair so your eyes and brain can adapt comfortably.
- Anti-fatigue lenses. A small boost of focusing power in the lower part of the lens makes reading and screens easier.
- Digital free-form single-vision lenses designed with AI. High-quality lenses calculated for your prescription and how your frame sits on your face.
- Treating dry eye when it's part of the problem.
At our Odessa office, most single-vision glasses can be made the same day.
Kids and headaches
Headaches from the eyes are very common in children, and kids rarely know their eyes are the cause. Hidden farsightedness is a frequent reason, and it can pass a school screening. If your child gets headaches after school, reading or homework, book a kids' eye exam. We see children from 1 year old.
About blue light glasses
Many patients ask about inexpensive blue light glasses bought online. A blue light filter can help with comfort, but only when the lens itself is optical quality: the right lens material, an accurate optical surface and a high-quality anti-glare coating. A filter added to cheap plastic lenses can actually make your eyes work harder. If you'd like blue light filtering, we'll add it to quality lenses made for your prescription.
When a headache is an emergency
Call 911 or go to the emergency room for a sudden, severe headache, especially with any of these:
- Sudden vision loss or double vision
- Weakness, numbness, confusion or trouble speaking
- A headache after a head injury
- Severe eye pain with redness, halos around lights, nausea or vomiting
For sudden changes in your vision, see sudden vision changes or our medical and urgent eye care.
Common questions
Can astigmatism cause headaches?
Yes. When astigmatism isn't fully corrected, your eyes work harder all day to keep things clear, which can cause eye strain, squinting and headaches, often by the afternoon or evening. An accurate prescription usually brings relief. For moderate to high astigmatism, we may build up your correction in steps so your eyes can adapt comfortably.
Can I have 20/20 vision and still get headaches from my eyes?
Yes. With hidden (latent) farsightedness, your eyes can focus through the problem and still read the chart, but the constant extra effort can cause headaches and tired eyes. It often goes unnoticed in a quick vision screening.
What is latent hyperopia?
Latent hyperopia is farsightedness that your eye's focusing muscle hides by working harder all the time. The most reliable way to uncover it is an exam with drops that temporarily relax that focusing muscle (cycloplegic drops). Your vision may be blurry and sensitive to light for a few hours afterward.
Can kids get headaches from their eyes?
Yes, and it's common. Kids rarely say their eyes are the problem. Watch for headaches after school, reading or homework, rubbing their eyes, or avoiding close work. Hidden farsightedness is a frequent cause in children, and an exam with relaxing drops can find it.
Do blue light glasses help with headaches?
They can help with comfort only when the lens itself is optical quality. A blue light filter on a cheap plastic lens without the right material and a good anti-glare coating can make your eyes work harder, not less. If you want blue light filtering, have it added to quality lenses made for your prescription.
What are anti-fatigue lenses?
Anti-fatigue lenses add a small boost of focusing power in the lower part of a single-vision lens, so close work like reading and screens takes less effort. We also offer high-quality digital free-form single-vision lenses designed with AI for clear, comfortable vision.
Why does my new prescription feel strange at first?
Your eyes and brain need a short time to adapt, especially to a bigger change in astigmatism. That's why, for moderate to high astigmatism, we may increase your correction in steps. If a new prescription still bothers you after a week or two, call us and we'll check it.
Read more on our blog: Can astigmatism cause headaches? More answers are in our Patient FAQ.
Odessa (813) 926-5993 · East Lake (727) 242-8388