Eye heaviness is a feeling of weight, pressure, or fatigue around the eyes. It commonly reflects strain, dryness, or sinus and muscular tension.
Typical Causes
Prolonged screen use, uncorrected refractive error, and poor posture often make the eyes and lids feel heavy. Sinus congestion, lack of sleep, allergies, and low-grade inflammation such as blepharitis or dry eye can also contribute.
- People may feel the need to close or rub their eyes frequently
- Heaviness is often worse at the end of the day or during illness
- Neck and forehead muscle tension can accentuate the sensation
- Occasionally, raised eye pressure or uveitis causes deep heaviness with other symptoms
When to Seek Help
If heaviness is persistent, painful, or associated with visual changes, an eye examination is advisable. Otherwise, improving ergonomics, sleep, hydration, and treating dryness or sinus problems often helps.
- Regular breaks and appropriate glasses reduce strain-related heaviness
- Lid hygiene and lubricants ease surface and lid causes
- Sudden heavy feeling with drooping lid or double vision needs urgent review
- Addressing allergies and nasal congestion can relieve peri‑orbital weight
