The headaches are accompanied by deterioration of vision, itching and burning of the eyes, flickering in front of the eyes and pain in the eye as if caused by a foreign body.

Cold compresses on the eyes or a wet flannel can help to relieve acute eye headaches.

If your eyes hurt after overstraining them, for example by reading, watching TV or working on the computer, it helps to take a break in a darkened room. Close your eyes for about ten minutes and relax. Avoid dry and dusty air.

Eye drops from the pharmacy (artificial tears) help against the feeling of dryness, itching and burning in the eyes.

Eye compresses made from fennel, eyebright or camomile tea alleviate the discomfort. To do this, prepare a tea infusion, allow the tea to cool and leave it on the closed eyelids for five minutes using a cotton wool pad.

If your eyes are overtired, an eye shower helps by spilling lukewarm water on your face ten to 15 times with your eyes closed.

Eye exercises alleviate the symptoms of tired, irritated and dry eyes.

When to see a doctor

If you have frequent headaches, have your eyesight checked. The eyes often hurt due to overexertion when you need glasses.

If you have the feeling of strong pressure on your eyes together with visual disturbances, you should see an ophthalmologist, as it could be glaucoma.

Very severe headaches with visual disturbances and flashes in front of the eyes may indicate retinal detachment.

If there is a sharp or pointed object in the eye or a suspected chemical eye burn, you should see a doctor immediately.