Why do I have severe headaches with Fuchs’?
If you have Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis (or Fuchs’ uveitis syndrome, an inflammatory disease affecting the front of the eye, where eyes also happen to have differently colored irises), you can get a headache when you have a flare-up of inflammation inside of the eye. During one of these episodes, inflammatory cells are circulating in front of the eye and it can be very painful for the iris to expand and contract in response to light. Sometimes, ophthalmologists prescribe medications to keep the eye dilated to help reduce the pain.
If you have Fuchs' Corneal Dystrophy (a condition where cells in the front of the eye die prematurely, causing swelling and blurry vision) you can get associated eye pain, but it should not be a headache. In this condition, the cornea can swell and form bubbles on the surface that can rupture. This can feel similar to when someone suffers a corneal abrasion (scratches their eye).
Our ophthalmologists have answered thousands of questions about eye diseases and conditions. Search our entire Ask an Ophthalmologist collection to find the answers you need.Read our important medical disclaimer.You can also browse by topic to see how physicians answered questions about a specific eye condition:
Ask a New Question
Not every question will receive a direct response from an ophthalmologist. However, we will follow up with suggested ways to find appropriate information related to your question. Medical disclaimer
By submitting your question, you agree to be answered by email. Your email address will only be used to answer your question unless you are an Academy member or are subscribed to Academy newsletters.
Get ophthalmologist-reviewed tips and information about eye health and preserving your vision.
All content on the Academy’s website is protected by copyright law and the Terms of Service. This content may not be reproduced, copied, or put into any artificial intelligence program, including large language and generative AI models, without permission from the Academy.