Itchy eyes

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

If the eyes itch, it is very uncomfortable, but usually harmless. The itchy eyes usually go away on their own after a short time. Still, it shouldn't be taken lightly - sometimes itchy eyes are also a sign of illness. What are the possible causes? When do you need to see a doctor? What helps against itchy eyes? Find out here!

Brief overview

• Causes: e.g. dry eyes, conjunctivitis, eyelid inflammation, hailstone, stye, dermis inflammation, corneal inflammation or injury, allergy, rash on the eye, Sjogren's syndrome
• When to the doctor With persistent itching of the eyes without improvement, with the appearance of accompanying symptoms such as fever, eye pain, discharge of secretions from the eye, severe redness or visual disturbances, with foreign bodies in the eye (dust, chemicals, etc.)
• Treatment: Depending on the cause, e.g. moisturizing eye drops, antiallergic medication (antihistamines), antibiotics, suitable visual aids, remove foreign bodies
• You can do that yourself: relaxation exercises for the eyes, first aid for foreign bodies in the eye, home remedies (cold compresses, tea compresses)

Causes of itchy eyes

Itchy eyes are an annoying symptom that can have a number of underlying causes. In some cases, the cause is harmless: often it is dry eyes that start to itch. One of the tasks of the tear fluid is to moisten the cornea and conjunctiva. But if you work at the screen for a long time, for example, the moistening no longer works well - dry, itchy eyes are the result.

Also very often itchy eyes are caused by an allergy. There are many other possible explanations if the eyes itch or a single eye itches. Overall, the most common causes are:

• Eye strain (e.g. from long work at the computer screen, incorrectly adjusted visual aids)
• (long) wearing of contact lenses
• Eye irritation from drafts, air conditioning, UV radiation, chemicals (e.g. chlorine, formaldehyde), cosmetic products
• Foreign bodies in the eye (e.g. dust, smoke, loose eyelashes or eyelashes that are still fixed but misaligned)
• Eye injuries (e.g. corneal abrasion)
• Age-related conjunctival changes
• Conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis)
• Blepharitis (eyelid inflammation)
• Inflammation of the dermis (scleritis)
• Inflammation of the cornea (keratitis)
• Stye
• Hailstone
• Sicca Syndrome (Sjogren's Syndrome)
• Rash on the eye
• Tumor diseases
• Allergy (e.g. hay fever)
• certain drugs

Allergy: eyes often affected

The most common cause of itchy eyes is an allergy. The conjunctiva lines the eyelids and covers the whites of the eyes. It contains numerous immune cells that can react sensitively to a large number of actually harmless substances such as pollen, mold spores or the excrement of house dust mites. The immune cells release chemical substances that trigger inflammation of the eyes - the result is allergic conjunctivitis (allergic conjunctivitis).

Around 20 percent of all people occasionally suffer from allergic conjunctivitis.

Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (hay fever) is widespread, i.e. conjunctivitis caused by pollen when the plants in question (trees, grasses, etc.) are in bloom. Most people suffer from itchy eyes and other allergy symptoms in spring or early summer.

If, on the other hand, the eyes itch more or less year-round, this is more likely to indicate atopic conjunctivitis. This form of allergic conjunctivitis is caused by allergens that are theoretically always present, such as animal dander (in case of cat allergy, dog allergy), house dust mites (in case of house dust allergy) or mold spores.

Male children and adolescents in particular who suffer from eczema, asthma or a seasonal allergy can also develop vernal keratoconjunctivitis. This is a simultaneous inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea, which occurs preferentially in spring and is very likely of allergic origin.

a common form and chronic allergic conjunctivitis are the most common types of eye allergic reaction. Itchy eyes are therefore not uncommon for people with, for example, hay fever, house dust mite allergies or animal hair allergies (such as cat allergies).

Signs of an eye allergy are rarely caused by certain foods.

The body can also react to contact lenses with itching of the eyes. This does not necessarily have to be an allergy (i.e. a hypersensitivity reaction of the immune system). Often a "simple" intolerance - without the involvement of the immune system - is responsible for the itchy eyes. The same can happen with eye drops and ointments, for example.

Rash on the eye

Another reason for the annoying itching can be a rash on the eye: The sensitive skin around the eyes can be affected by an inflammatory skin reaction (dermatitis) just like any other part of the body. In most cases, the causes of a rash on the eye are eye drops, creams, lotions or other cosmetic products - this is what is known as contact dermatitis.

Dermatitis can manifest as itching and a red rash under or around the eyes. The eyelids can swell and the skin can become flaky.

Itching of the eye: accompanying symptoms

Itchy eyes often don't appear on their own. There are patients in whom the eyes burn and itch at the same time. It is also possible that one (single) eye is red and itchy. The most common symptoms accompanying itchy eyes include:

• Watery eyes
• Burning eyes
• Dry eyes
• Red eyes
• Swollen eyes
• Sensation of pressure on the eyeball
• Foreign body sensation in the eye
• Discharge of secretions from the eye (pus, blood)
• Clogged eyes (especially in the morning)

Itchy eyes: when to see a doctor?

Itchy eyes are uncomfortable, but do not initially appear as a threatening symptom. However, if you cannot explain the itchy eyes or if it persists for a long time, you should see an ophthalmologist. This is also advisable if these accompanying symptoms also occur:

• Eye pain
• severely reddened eyes
• Visual disturbances
• Secretion discharge from the eye (purulent, watery, slimy)
• fever

Also, be sure to see an ophthalmologist if the itchy eye is caused by a foreign body or pollutants in the eye. The same applies if you have one or two itchy eyes after using eye drops or ointments.

Itchy eyes: exams & diagnosis

In order to be able to specifically treat itchy eyes, the doctor must determine the cause of the itching. To do this, he first conducts a detailed doctor-patient conversation to collect the medical history (anamnesis). This is followed by various examinations as required.

anamnese

As part of the anamnesis, the doctor can ask you the following questions, among others:

• How long have your eyes been itching?
• Is the itchy eye unilateral or bilateral?
• Do the eyes itch all the time or only in certain situations?
• Could foreign bodies have got into the eye, e.g. dust, chemicals or other irritating substances?
• Do you use medication such as eye drops or eye ointments?

Investigations

A physical examination follows after taking the medical history. The doctor examines the head and neck to look for possible signs of an illness that may be causing the itchy eye. Among other things, he pays attention to swelling, redness or other abnormalities in the area of ​​the eyes.

Various eye examinations are of course essential for establishing a diagnosis. For example, the doctor will check the size of the pupils, the reaction of the eyes to incident light, and the movements of the eyes. Other tests that may reveal the cause of the itchy eyes include:

• Eye test (to rule out eye strain)
• Slit lamp examination (to assess different eye sections)
• Examination of the tear fluid
• Allergy test
• Smear from the eye (if there is a suspected infectious cause of the itchy eye)

Itchy eyes: treatment

What helps against itchy eyes? That always depends on the cause of the itching.

With dry eyes, for example, eye drops help that keep the eye moist and supple. They do not fight the cause (e.g. Sjogren's syndrome) of dry eyes, but the symptom - itchy eyes.

In the case of bacterial conjunctivitis, the doctor will prescribe a local antibiotic preparation in the form of eye ointment or eye drops. In addition or as an alternative, antibiotics in tablet form are sometimes used. This is necessary, for example, if a bacterial infection has spread to the eyes in other parts of the body.

If there is a viral eye infection - for example with herpes viruses (eye herpes) - the doctor will prescribe antivirals such as acyclovir. They inhibit the virus from multiplying.

If your eyes are itchy from an allergy, the causal treatment is to avoid the allergy trigger whenever possible. In the case of certain forms of allergy, desensitization is also possible. To relieve acute allergy symptoms, the doctor prescribes antihistamines in the form of tablets or eye drops. They relieve itching in the eye (and other allergy symptoms) by inhibiting the release of the messenger substance histamine. In severe cases, the use of eye drops with cortisone may be necessary.

For a rash on the eye, treatment is based on the cause. Special ointments and pads can be helpful. In severe cases, it may be necessary to treat the rash under (or around) the eyes with cortisone.

If the itchy eyes are caused by a medication (eye drops, eye ointment, etc.), the attending physician will prescribe a different preparation or adjust the dosage if possible.

Never stop taking medication without consulting your doctor. You should never change the dosage of a preparation yourself.

If ametropia is responsible for itching (and possibly burning) your eyes, you need suitable visual aids - glasses and / or contact lenses.

If another disease is the cause of itchy eyes, it must be treated properly so that the symptoms improve.

Itchy eyes: you can do that yourself

If your eyes itch and sting from wearing contact lenses, consider taking the eyewear off for a while and wearing glasses instead for a few days. Then the eyes can calm down.

If the itchy eyes are caused by cosmetic products, avoid using them if possible. Switching to products without perfume or artificial fragrances can also help.

If your eyes are sore and itchy from irritation from long screen work, eye relaxation exercises can help. Some examples:

• Consciously take a close look at things at different distances (focus your eyes on each one!).
• Occasionally cover your eyes with your hands and let them rest for a few minutes.
• Place your thumbs on your temples and use your index fingers to massage the top of the eye socket (from the bridge of the nose outwards).
• You should often close your eyes for a few seconds while working with the screen. You can also try to type a few sentences "blindly".

It is best to give first aid if your eyes are itchy because a foreign object has got into the eye. Superficial foreign bodies can be wiped out of the eye with a clean cloth. In the case of deep-seated foreign bodies and / or if you also experience severe pain, you should always leave the treatment to the doctor.

If the contact with chemicals is the reason for the itchy eyes, you should rinse the eyes immediately with clear water (except in the case of corrosive calcium in the eye - rinsing out would worsen the chemical burn!). Then consult a doctor immediately. If necessary, bring him the relevant chemical (e.g. cleaning agent) so that he can take special treatment measures if necessary.

Itchy eyes: home remedies

Home remedies often help against itchy, red and burning eyes and itchy eyelids. Put a cold compress on the eye (s). Wipes soaked in cold water and wrung out are suitable for this. Instead of water, you can also use cooled tea (made from chamomile, marigold or sage). Or you can use a cooling compress from the freezer or a grain pillow (cherry stone pillow) from the freezer compartment to place on the eye.

Never put cold compresses or cool packs directly on the sensitive skin of the eyes, instead wrap them in a thin cotton cloth first.

Leave the compress (or similar) on your eyes as long as you find the cold to be pleasant. It can often be effective in soothing itchy eyes. However, take the compress off immediately if the cold becomes uncomfortable.

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