Ocular Causes of Headache in Patients Presenting To a SubUrban Eye Hospital

Abstract

Background: Headache one of the most frequent complaints for which the patients visit the medical practitioners. The current study was planned to determine the aetiology of headache in patients seen for an ocular examination in ophthalmology outpatient clinics in a sub urban Eye hospital.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Reiyukai Eiko Masunaga eye hospital, Banepa, Nepal over a period of 3 months from 1st March 2020 to 1st June 2020. 200 patients with headache with or without ocular pain were enrolled in the study. The patients were assessed for any ocular cause of headache.Results: Of the 200 patients, 115(57.5%) were female and 85(42.5%) were male. The overall mean age was 37.19 years (range: 11-65 years). 69 of 200 patients had refractive error (34.5%).Most common error was astigmatism (69.5%) followed by myopia (17.3%) and hyperopia (13.05%). 58(29%) patients were above the age of 40 years and hence were presbyopic.14% had convergence insufficiency, 4.2% had accommodation insufficiency and 3.5% had fusional insufficiency Various ocular morbidities that were noted were, Corneal ulcer , disciform keratitis, epithelial defect, primary angle closure glaucoma, phacomorphic glaucoma, primary angle closure suspect,Chronic angle closure, ocular hypertension, anterior uveitis , posterior scleritis, optic neuritis, intracranial space occupying lesion indicated by papilledema , acute dacryocystitis, herpes zoster ophthalmicus , preseptal cellulitis and painful internal hordeolumConclusion: A detailed evaluation of patient with headache is necessary to properly identify and treat the cause of headache. The role of ophthalmologist in assessing the patients with headache has been emphasized by this study.