What to put on itchy eyes: Why Are My Eyes Itchy? Answers From an Expert

14.05.202214.07.2023 by alexxlab

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Why Are My Eyes Itchy? Answers From an Expert

Why Are My Eyes Itchy? Answers From an Expert | Johns Hopkins Medicine

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For many people, the warmth and beauty of spring are accompanied by irritated, burning and, sometimes, swollen eyes and eyelids. These symptoms, often attributed to allergy season, can be caused by other factors in the environment.

If you are one of the many who suffer from itchy eyes, understanding the cause is the key to treatment and relief.

Ophthalmologist Irene Kuo, M.D., of the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine, explains the cause and the methods to keep in mind to help relieve your itchy eyes.

Eye allergies, whether seasonal or year-round, are often the cause of itchy eyes. These allergies can be triggered by pollen or pet dander. Irritants like dust and smoke, or products such as lotions, makeup or contact lens solutions can also cause symptoms similar to those of eye allergies. An allergist can conduct an allergy test to determine the specific allergens that are causing you discomfort.

Learn about treatment for seasonal allergies.

Don’t Rub Your Eyes!

The most obvious measure to take may be the most difficult: Avoid rubbing your eyes. If you rub your already-irritated eyes, you can add more allergens such as pollens and pet dander. Constant rubbing of the eyes can even cause a break in the top corneal layer (epithelium), causing pain and potentially leading to infection.

Itchy-Eye Relief

Once allergies are determined to be the cause of your itchy eyes, you and your doctor will work together to find a treatment plan that works best for you. The plan may include:

Avoidance and Removal. Protective measures during high-pollen season could go a long way to providing relief from itchy eyes.

Close windows in your car or at home, and wear wrap-around sunglasses outdoors to avoid contact with pollen.
Use a dehumidifier to control potential mold in your home.
Shower each night to remove accumulated pollens on skin, eyelids, hair and your face. Be sure to wash your hands after petting animals.
Change bedding more frequently.

Cold Compress. If you are dealing with a mild case of allergy-related itching, a cold cloth or compress over the eyes can help temporarily ease the discomfort.
Artificial Tears. Frequent use of chilled over-the-counter, lubricating eye drops can relieve symptoms.
Anti-allergy Eyedrops or Oral Medications. For many people, allergy relief eyedrops, or oral medications that contain antihistamines or mast cell stabilizers, can ease symptoms. These can be obtained over-the-counter or your doctor can prescribe them.
Allergy Immunotherapy. A treatment called sublingual immunotherapy involves daily administration of allergy drops at home. You are treated with the allergens you are sensitized to, and over time, become more tolerant of those allergens.

If these treatments do not help, a visit to your eye doctor can help determine if something else is the cause of your allergies. Conditions such as blepharitis — an inflammation of the eyelid — or dry eye syndrome can also cause eye irritation. They require a treatment plan specific to those conditions.

Contact Lens Hygiene

If you wear contact lenses, it’s important to change them as often as prescribed. Allergens as well as bacterial products can stick to soft contact lenses.

Keep your eyes lubricated often with artificial tears.
Make sure to rub your contact lenses during cleaning every night. Wash the case and change the solution inside every day. Do not “top off” with solution. Start with a clean case and clean solution every time you remove your contact lenses.
Consult with your eye doctor to consider a new replacement schedule for your contact lenses if the irritation does not lessen. Daily disposable contact lenses may also be an option.

Remember that in addition to any treatment you receive, the best way you can help prevent worsening a case of itchy eyes is to avoid touching or rubbing them.

Treatment

Wilmer Eye Institute Cornea Division

Johns Hopkins experts in cornea and external eye disease can help diagnose and treat conditions including blepharitis, dry eye syndrome and more.

Learn more about Wilmer’s cornea services

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Home Remedies for Itchy Eyes: Remedies That Really Work

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Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, O. D. — By Adrian White — Updated on July 3, 2019

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Eye drops

Over-the-counter eye drops for itch relief are always helpful.

Some are designed for allergies and redness, while others work like artificial tears for dryness. The best types are preservative free. Some help all these conditions in addition to itching.

Buy eye drops now.

Cold compress

You can also try a cold compress.

A cold-water compress can relive the itch and have a soothing effect on your eyes. Simply take a clean cloth, soak it in cold water, and apply to closed itchy eyes, repeating as often as needed.

Most cases of itchy eyes don’t last very long, and they might even go away on their own.

To be safe, see a doctor if:

you feel there is something lodged in your eye
an eye infection develops
your vision starts to get worse
your itchy eyes turn into moderate to severe eye pain

If you experience any of the above, discontinue home treatments immediately and visit your doctor.

Last medically reviewed on April 17, 2018

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, O.D. — By Adrian White — Updated on July 3, 2019

What to do if your eyes itch

Before taking any action to eliminate itching, you need to find out why this happened. The reason why the eyes itch or both can be both local and general.

The most common causes:

1. The ingress of foreign bodies – dust, specks, small insects, even improperly selected lenses can act as such. With the disappearance of the irritant from the eye, the itching gradually disappears;
2. Eye burns from ultraviolet radiation – often the factor that causes itching and pain in the eyes is ultraviolet radiation. You can harm your eyes not only on a beach vacation – enough reflected sunlight from the glaring surface of the water. In addition, you can get a retinal and cornea burn not only in summer, but also in winter, when freshly fallen clean snow outside reflects light ten times more than normal;
3. Swimming in untested open water or poorly cleaned pools – Swimming in chlorinated water can cause itching around the eyes. Pathogenic forms of damage to the eyelids are more likely to occur from swimming in open water, especially during the hot summer months in conditions of blooming water, when it acquires a greenish tint from actively breeding algae. And along with them, chlamydia also feel great. Especially rapid development of such microflora is observed in stagnant water bodies: ponds, lakes, especially small ones, where amphibians live together with fish.
4. Allergic reaction – anything can act as an allergen: tobacco smoke, plant pollen, inappropriate mascara, pet hair, window cleaner, etc. An allergy can be diagnosed if eyes not only itch, but also watery, plus rhinitis is observed. With allergies, the eyes swell, redden, open painfully, photophobia begins;
5. DES or dry eye syndrome – this phenomenon is observed in many who are associated with prolonged sitting at a computer or laptop screen. Older people suffer from dry eye syndrome due to dysfunction of the lacrimal glands. The disease worsens if a person is in an excessively dry or smoky room. You can get rid of unpleasant sensations by using preparations with artificial tears, periodically ventilating the working room, conducting gymnastics sessions for the eyes;

Important! Often a simple exercise helps to cope with the syndrome – close the eyelids and relax, make five circular movements of the eyes clockwise and five counterclockwise. Repeat three to five times.

6. Blockage of the lacrimal duct – burning in the eyes and their dryness can lead to blockage of the lacrimal ducts caused by fine dust or burning particles entering the eyes during prolonged atmospheric smoke. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms, try with clean fingers for several seconds to press the points located at the inner corners of the eyes closer to the bridge of the nose. And only if this does not help, and the tears do not start to go, you need to see a doctor;
7. Unsuitable lenses or wearing them incorrectly – in this case, it will help to remove the lenses and rinse the eyes with running water, if after a few hours the irritation has disappeared, and when the lenses are reused, the situation recurs, then you need to consult an ophthalmologist to check the organs of vision and, possibly , for the selection of new contact lenses;
8. Communicable diseases:
a. Conjunctivitis – it can be caused by fungi, viruses and bacteria – of the latter, chlamydia infection is the most unpleasant. Therefore, it is defined as a polyetiological lesion of the mucous membranes of the sclera and the inner surface of the eyelids. Most often one eye is affected, only then the inflammation of the conjunctiva passes to the second, most often this happens after the diseased organ was touched by hands, and then the healthy one was rubbed, after which the pathogenic microflora gets there.
b. Blepharitis is a disease similar to conjunctivitis, but more characteristic of inflammation of the entire thickness of the eyelids, especially in the region of the ciliary edge. An allergic form of blepharitis can appear from exposure to animal hair, cosmetics incompatible with skin type or even blood type, exposure to plant pollen, drugs and hygiene products. Therefore, during treatment, it is often necessary to consult an ENT specialist, dentist, dermatologist and even endocrinologist.
c. Barley is a purulent inflammation near the ciliary bulb or the sebaceous sac of Zeiss. The symptoms of the disease are as follows: the edges of the eyelids become inflamed and swollen, redden and cause pain when combed. In the vast majority of cases, barley is caused by Staphylococcus aureus, which is typical for an organism weakened by colds with a weak immune system. Dry, heated to 40-45 degrees, compresses help well.

1. Let your eyes rest first! Temporarily exclude from your schedule long work at the computer or with a smartphone and watching TV;
2. If you are sure of the origin of eye irritation, then stop contact with the pathogen;
3. If special medicines or prophylactic eye drops are not available, it is necessary to make lotions using cosmetic sponges soaked in strong brewed black tea and hold for 10-15 minutes;
4. Fresh chamomile tea prepared in a water bath may be used. Chamomile can be both flower and pharmacy;
5. Applying swabs soaked in freshly brewed calendula to the eye sockets will also help relieve irritation.
6. If itching is caused by dry mucous membranes and skin around the eyes, slices of fresh cucumber will help, which should be applied for 30 minutes 2 times a day.

Important! Folk remedies may help if itching is not caused by bacteria or viruses. Before the procedure, you must wash your hands with soap and strain the liquid well so that it does not contain foreign particles.

To prevent itchy eyes:

Wear protective goggles on high UV days;
Wear protective goggles when working at a computer, if most of the time is associated with its use;
Do special eye exercises to prevent strain;
Use only high-quality, proven cosmetics;
For hygiene products, use clean personal towels or disposable wipes;
During the course of the disease it is necessary to exclude the use of all cosmetic products;
Increase immunity, spend more time outdoors.

Experts do not recommend tolerating the above symptoms. This is not a reason to panic, but a timely visit to the clinic, especially if folk remedies have not helped, will greatly simplify further treatment and get rid of discomfort.

Do your eyes itch? Read on to help yourself!

May 18, 2017

Although we were looking forward to the arrival of spring, for many flowering plants are associated with a wave of allergies – the eyes turn red and itch. How to reduce itching in the eyes?

Itching, sensitivity to light, redness, tearing and swelling of the eyes – these are the first signs of an allergy in the spring, associated with the beginning of flowering of some plants and shrubs, and they are not such a rare occurrence. The more you touch your eyes, the more they will itch, since scratching often exacerbates the manifestation of allergic reactions even more.

People say itching is caused by airborne pollen, but it is actually caused by histamine and other inflammatory substances that produce mast cells in the eye in response to allergens. Flower pollen causes the production of histamine.

If the eyes react to allergens only in the spring, most likely, we are talking about a reaction to pollen in the environment. If the problem persists all year round, the cause of the allergy may be a reaction to pet hair or dander, dust mites, molds, or even a reaction to contact lens material or liquid.

How to solve the problem ?

First of all, you need to give your eyes a rest: remove makeup and remove contact lenses. Washing your hands frequently is important to keep bacteria that cause inflammation or allergies from getting into your eyes from your fingers and making things worse.

For the treatment of allergy symptoms, various compresses on the eyes, for example, in the form of a gauze bandage moistened with cold boiled water, help well. You can also use special anti-allergic eye drops, but for starters, you should still prefer washing your eyes with cool boiled water – this is a more gentle and natural way.

rest your eyes
remove makeup and contact lenses
wash your hands frequently
apply a cold compress to the eyes
use special eye drops
rinsing/dropping into eyes with cool boiled water

After the symptoms have subsided, attention should be paid to further prevention, that is, to find out the cause of the allergy. If the latter is due to pollen spreading through the air, contact with it should be avoided, stay indoors more and keep windows closed. Wearing sunglasses will also help protect your eyes a little.

If the cause of the allergy lies in a reaction to pet hair or dander, dust mites, mold fungi, you should avoid contact with the allergen, wash your hands more often and wash your clothes. To fight dust mites, special blankets and pillows and bedding will help.
If you realize that your contact lens material or liquid is causing the allergy, you should replace it as soon as possible.

What to put on itchy eyes: Why Are My Eyes Itchy? Answers From an Expert