Pain when blinking is often caused by irritation on the surface of the eye or eyelid. Common causes include dry eye, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, a small scratch on the cornea, or something stuck in the eye.
Blinking can make pain more noticeable because the eyelid moves over the irritated area. Dry eye may feel like burning, grittiness, or a foreign body sensation, while blepharitis can cause sore, inflamed eyelid edges. Conjunctivitis usually causes redness, watering, itching, or a gritty feeling rather than deep pain.
A corneal abrasion can cause sharper pain, tearing, light sensitivity, and the feeling that something is in the eye, often worse when opening or closing the eye. More serious causes, such as uveitis or keratitis, may cause pain with redness, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light.
Avoid rubbing the eye and do not use eye drops or antibiotics without medical advice. Seek urgent care from an ophthalmologist if the pain is severe, vision changes occur, light sensitivity is present, or symptoms do not improve.