If you ever experience pain around the eye sockets but can’t quite figure out where it’s coming from or why it’s happening, you could be experiencing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder pain without even realizing it. But wait - isn’t the temporomandibular joint in your jaw? How could that possibly be causing pain in your eye socket? Believe it or not, it’s quite common.

TMJ disorder occurs in the temporomandibular joint, which connects the lower jaw to the rest of skull. But because the temporomandibular joint is so close to the eye socket, pain from TMJ disorder can often be felt in the eye sockets as well as in other areas of the face and body.

Another reason TMJ disorder pain may be felt in the eye socket is the temporomandibular joint’s proximity to the trigeminal nerve. This nerve is a connection between your teeth, your jaw and - you guessed it - your eye socket. If your trigeminal nerve is irritated by TMJ disorder, there’s a really good chance you’ll feel it elsewhere along the nerve - including the eye socket.

So, how can you know TMJ disorder could be responsible for your eye pain? Be on the lookout for:

• Blurred vision
• Light sensitivity
• Excessive blinking
• Inability to focus your eyes

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms with or without jaw pain, please call Dr. Lederman for a TMJ disorder evaluation. He can be reached at 516-882-1764.