Introduction
Many people suffer from burning eyes. Especially due to the increasing work at the computer and the meanwhile very widespread use of contact lenses, these complaints are not rare.
General information
In most cases this is simply overexertion of the eyes and a lack of tear secretion – the dry eye syndrome. Besides the burning sensation itself, other typical symptoms such as a foreign body sensation in the eye, itching around the eye and reddening of the conjunctiva can occur.
Causes
Burning eyes can theoretically have many causes. The most important of these include inflammation of the eye or its surroundings, such as conjunctivitis. This can be infectious as well as allergic or irritant, i.e. caused by irritating substances.
Infectious conjunctivitis can be caused by both viruses and bacteria and is generally contagious. Allergic conjunctivitis, on the other hand, is very common and is mostly caused by pollen, but in some cases also by drugs or cosmetics. Irritating substances on the eye can be chlorine gases and formaldehyde, but also more common substances such as smoke in any form.
Another common cause of burning eyes is a lack of tear fluid, which also causes inflammatory processes in the eye. This is known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye syndrome) and is on the one hand an accompanying symptom of certain systemic diseases, but on the other hand it is also associated with long periods of working at computer screens. In this context it should also be mentioned that even simple overexertion of the eyes can lead to a burning sensation.
Another typical cause of burning eyes is injuries to the surface of the eye. Less common causes are inflammation of the sclera or cornea (keratitis), and conjunctival growths known as pterygium. Skin diseases, such as psoriasis or herpes zoster, which is called herpes ophthalmicus (herpes of the eye), are also associated with eye burning.
The invention of contact lenses represents a great enrichment for many people affected by long or distant vision. In contrast to glasses, they not only offer a clearer field of vision, but also do not change the vision, as is the case when wearing glasses (glasses for the correction of short-sightedness, for example, reduce the size of what is seen). Unlike glasses, however, contact lenses are also more complicated to care for and potentially pose risks to the health of the eye.
For the lenses to function properly, it is important that they float with low friction on the tear film, which is responsible for supplying the cornea with nutrients, among other things. If this is not the case, wearing the contact lens can lead to damage to the cornea and conjunctiva. The possible consequences range from dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) to conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva), and even to an ingrowth of vessels in the normally vascular-free cornea, resulting in a gradual loss of vision.
Burning eyes caused by wearing contact lenses are a first indication that irritation of the eye surface by the lens is taking place. Negative consequences of wearing contact lenses can, however, be greatly reduced by taking simple measures. These primarily include following the care instructions for contact lenses.
Above all, they should not be worn longer than intended and should be cleaned daily to prevent bacterial colonisation. Furthermore, contact lenses can be individually fitted to the eye by trained specialists, i.e. ophthalmologists or opticians, so that complications can be avoided to a large extent. You can find additional information here
- Contact lens intolerance
- Contact lenses side effects
Cataract surgery is generally considered to be a very uncomplicated and fast procedure with few side effects.
This makes it all the more worrying for many patients when they experience a burning sensation in their eyes postoperatively. In fact, this is not unusual and is solely due to the wound healing process of the conjunctiva, in which incisions are made during cataract surgery in order to insert the artificial lens. Apart from this, burning may be accompanied by other typical symptoms.
These include a foreign body sensation, as well as itching, reddening of the eyes and sometimes increased eye tears. This complex of symptoms is commonly referred to as “dry eye syndrome”. The best way to promote wound healing and counteract the symptoms is to consistently wet the eye surface with artificial tear fluid in the form of eye drops.
In the beginning it may be necessary to do this even hourly. Gradually, the symptoms will then decrease more and more in most cases. Information about cataract surgery can be found here Cataract surgeryAn experience that probably everyone has had nowadays: Working in front of a computer screen for long periods is exhausting, especially for the eyes.
The consequences can be painful or burning eyes. This is usually caused by a lack of tear fluid in the cornea and conjunctiva, which has the function of preventing the eyelids from rubbing on the surface of the eye. This is known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
People who spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen tend to have it more easily. Counteracting sicca keratoconjunctivitis due to long periods of computer work is not necessarily easy. It is primarily recommended that people take regular, appropriately long breaks to protect their eyes, at least for a short time. Apart from this, eye drops, which create an artificial tear film, can help and reduce the symptoms.