Running is an effective form of exercise that burns calories and gives your heart and lungs a workout. While you are running, however, your blood pressure temporarily increases, although it often drops after you have finished running. If you have high blood pressure or have issues with the blood vessels of your eyes, running could exacerbate the problem, leading to eye discomfort. If you experience eye discomfort consistently while running, consult a doctor or an ophthalmologist for a diagnosis. If you start to experience painful headaches while running, seek immediate medical attention.
Features
Discomfort of the eye can range from a dull ache to a feeling of increased pressure in the eye. You may only notice the discomfort when you are engaged in activity that increases blood flow, such as running or bending over quickly. In some cases, eye discomfort may extend out to the entire ocular region or the cheekbone. The discomfort may also reach back into head, resembling a headache.
Causes
Running itself is not the cause of eye discomfort, but it can make an underlying condition more noticeable. High blood pressure is a common cause of increased pressure in the eyes, and running can increase that pressure. You may also have an issue with the eye in particular, such as ocular hypertension, or high eye pressure, which is essentially due to a build up of fluids in the eye. High blood pressure and high eye pressure often go unnoticed due to lack of symptoms except under extreme situations. Your discomfort could also be the result of migraine headache, sinus problems or other eye disorder.
Treatment
If your eye discomfort is temporary and does not recur, treatment is not needed. Eye discomfort that occurs repeatedly will need to be diagnosed by a doctor. If your problem is high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe medication. Ocular hypertension is diagnosed by an ophthalmologist, and he may prescribe eye drops to reduce the pressure. Other issues, such as migraines, sinus issues or other eye disorders, will need to be diagnosed by a doctor or ophthalmologist and treated accordingly.
Considerations
If you are experiencing eye discomfort while running on a consistent basis, see a doctor. High blood pressure and high eye pressure can potentially cause damage to the eye, particularly the nerve of the eye, leading to a condition known as glaucoma, which can ultimately affect your vision. African Americans over 40 years old, adults over 60 and anyone with a familial history are at the highest risk of having high eye pressure as well as glaucoma. In rare cases, eye discomfort when running can be the result of a more serious disease, such as a brain tumor.
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