Pain Behind the Eyes: Retro Orbital Pain

Pain behind the eyes is a common complaint for those patients experiencing tempormandibular joint dysfunction (TMD).

The retro-orbital bony complex contains the greater and lesser wings of the sphenoid. Since the lateral and medial pterygoid muscles insert into the medial and pterygoid plates, chronic contracture of these muscles could result in the torquing action of the sphenoid.

These muscles when strained can contribute to a pulling force behind the eyes since these muscles attach to boney structures just behind the orbits (eye) regions internally and posteriorly.

Pressure behind the eyes, dagger feelings and or ice pick feels along with blurred vision can also be associated with TMD. Patient with limited mouth opening often experience these kind of symptoms. The sphenomandibularis muscle (an internal muscle behind the eyes), runs from the mandible (internal lower jaw) and inserts into the sphenoid bone just behind the eyes. When the sphenomandibularis muscle spasms, it can strain and torque the sphenoid bone, contributing to the mentioned symptoms.

Light sensitivity along with retro orbital pain are common to the more severe TMD (headache) type muscular problems.

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