My Eye Hurts but the Eye Exam Is Normal — Could It Be My Neck?

My eye hurts but the eye exam is normal, could it be my neck?

Yes, it can. When the muscles on the side of your neck tighten, they open a route that sends pain toward the eye and forehead. Even when the eye itself is normal on an ophthalmology exam, it may be referred pain that started in the neck muscles.

A closer look

My eye hurts but the eye exam is normal, could it be my neck? illustration

The nerve that carries sensation from the face and the area around the eye meets the nerve that relays pain signals from the neck muscles at the same point in the brainstem. Where the two signals blend, the brain mistakes tension in the neck for pain in the eye or forehead.

  • The sternocleidomastoid runs from below the ear to the collarbone. When it tightens, it sends pain to the inner eye, forehead, and cheek.
  • The suboccipital muscles sit just under the back of the head and refer pain behind the eye, giving that feeling that the eye is being pushed out.
  • The upper trapezius runs from the neck into the shoulder and refers pain to the temple and the side of the eye.
  • A useful check. If gently pressing the muscles on the side of the neck eases the eye pain at the same time, the cause is more likely the neck than the eye.

These signs often show up together

  • One eye watering noticeably more, or turning red often
  • A slight droop in one eyelid
  • Vision blurring for short spells
  • The back of the neck and shoulder feeling tight along with it

The muscle on the side of the neck, the sternocleidomastoid, runs close to the autonomic nerves that control the tear glands and blood vessels. That is why cases have been reported where tearing, redness, and a drooping eyelid appear together with the pain, not just the pain on its own.

These symptoms need emergency care right away

  • Sudden blurred vision or loss of sight in one eye
  • Eye pain with severe headache and vomiting, which can point to acute glaucoma
  • Weakness or numbness on one side of the face
  • Short, intense electric-shock-like pain that keeps repeating, which can point to trigeminal neuralgia and needs a neurology visit

How we approach it at Yonsei SM

If the pain in your eye and forehead started in the neck, the neck muscle tension has to be released to solve it at the root.

  • Stage 1, we bring the swelling down (Circulation HD)
    Guided by ultrasound, we locate and release the trigger points in the sternocleidomastoid and suboccipital muscles precisely.
  • Stage 2, we wake the muscles up (Circulation PT)
    Circulation PT releases the neck muscle tension and restores the range of motion in the upper cervical spine.
  • Stage 3, we make the movement stick
    We correct forward-head posture and review daily habits together so it does not come back.

* Response to injection and therapy varies from person to person, and the exact diagnosis and treatment plan are decided after an in-person consultation.

Related questions

Is the pain in your eyes and face still going on?

Let us check the neck muscles as well and treat the root cause.

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References

  • Roth JK, Roth RS, Weintraub JR, Simons DG. Cervicogenic headache caused by myofascial trigger points in the sternocleidomastoid: a case report. Cephalalgia. 2007;27(4):375-380.
  • Bogduk N, Govind J. Cervicogenic headache: an assessment of the evidence on clinical diagnosis, invasive tests, and treatment. Lancet Neurol. 2009;8(10):959-968.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-10