Itchy Eyes: Causes, Treatment & Help

Itchy, burning eyes are an expression of redness of the eyelid or conjunctiva, and the condition can be acute or chronic, causing sufferers to have sticky eyelids upon awakening.

What are itchy eyes?

Itchy eyes cause a burning, uncomfortable sensation; usually, itchy eyes are accompanied by many other symptoms, including foreign body dryness or a feeling of pressure in the eyes. Itchy eyes cause a burning, uncomfortable feeling, usually the eye itching is accompanied by many other symptoms, including foreign body dryness or feeling of pressure in the eyes. Forehead headaches can also occur together with itchy eyes and are experienced by patients as particularly unpleasant. Scaling at the base of the eyelashes or on the eyelids may also occur. Increased lacrimation is also typical, in some cases with purulent, watery or mucous secretions. Itchy eyes may be a short-term, transient symptom of illness. If the symptom of itchy eyes persists for an extended period of time, an ophthalmologist should be consulted. This is especially true if the itchy eyes occur in conjunction with other symptoms, accompanying symptoms or pain. In the medical diagnosis code, itchy eyes are defined as other eye afflictions and the appendages of the eyes. Synonymously, burning eyes or red eyes are also used for the term itchy eyes.

Causes

Itchy eyes are a symptom that may be due to a variety of causes. Often eye inflammation leads to itching and burning, the doctor also speaks of conjunctivitis or conjunctivitis. The so-called sicca syndrome also causes itchy eyes, it is also called dry eye. Episcleritis and blepharitis are also considered as causative factors for itchy eyes. These are inflammatory reactions between the conjunctiva and the sclera or, as in blepharitis, inflammation of the edge of the eyelid. If the surface of the eye has been injured by mechanical action, this can also cause eye itching. Rare causes of itchy eyes include inflammation of the sclera, scleritis, the so-called wing fur as a benign corneal growth and corneal inflammation, keratitis. Age-related conjunctival changes often cause itchy eyes in older age. Other possible causes include allergies, overexertion after working too long at a computer screen, or toxins that may be present in the environment, in the home, or in the body, such as formaldehyde, chlorine, or amalgam.

Diseases with this symptom

  • Conjunctivitis
  • Allergy
  • Sjögren’s syndrome
  • Corneal inflammation
  • Blepharitis
  • Scleritis

Diagnosis and course

The symptom of itchy eyes can be acute or chronic, chronic courses of the disease are not uncommon, especially when no clear cause could be found even after complex diagnostic tests. Basically, itchy eyes can be harmless, but they can also be an expression of various diseases that require therapy. In order to make the diagnosis, the ophthalmologist will first question the patient in detail. Subsequently, various medical tests and, if necessary, special blood tests are performed to confirm the diagnosis of itchy eyes. An eye test or allergy test should be performed as a standard procedure to provide diagnostic clues. An examination of the tear fluid can also lead to an exact diagnosis. In cases of purulent progressions, a swab may also be taken for subsequent microbial pathogen identification. In his diagnostic considerations, the doctor will also include a previously unrecognized visual impairment, the resulting strain on the eyes can also lead to itchy eyes. Important for the diagnosis are also questions about whether only one or both eyes are affected, whether the itchy eyes occur only in certain everyday situations or at work during activities on the screen.

Complications

Eye flu represents a particularly insidious inflammation, with symptoms similar to those of normal conjunctivitis. The period between initial contact with the pathogen and the onset of the disease can last up to eight days.During this time, no signs are present in the patient. The affected person is symptom-free, but highly infectious and can spread the viruses by means of smear infection. Ocular flu is notifiable. It is caused by particularly aggressive and dangerous adenoviruses. These viruses have already developed a high adaptability to environmental stimuli and can survive for a long period at normal room temperatures. At this time at the latest, a visit to the ophthalmologist is absolutely necessary. However, if waiting is still preferred, in some cases corneal opacities persist for months, sometimes permanently. Itchy eyes in the context of conjunctivitis can also be signs of infectious diseases or superinfection with other pathogens. Even the doctor of ophthalmology will first treat the itching of the eyes with medication. Only after a few days, dysentery, measles or typhoid fever break out, which must be clarified by a specialist as soon as possible. Therefore, medical advice should always be sought for itchy eyes and complaints that persist over a long period of time.

When should you go to the doctor?

Itchy eyes usually indicate an infection or a foreign body in the eye. If there is a foreign body in the eye, then a doctor should be seen immediately. Self-attempts to remove the foreign body should definitely be refrained from, as otherwise the eye could be severely damaged with serious consequences. The clinical picture of an infection looks somewhat more harmless. Often a stye is the cause of an itchy eye. With a stye, it is not necessary to consult a doctor immediately. First, the affected person can use some home remedies. For example, chamomile is an anti-inflammatory material that can also effectively fight a stye. However, if there is no significant improvement after one or two days, then a doctor should be consulted immediately. At the latest when the formation of pus on the eye is evident, a visit to the doctor should not be put off. If a visit to the doctor is completely omitted, then the conjunctiva or retina can be permanently damaged. Thus, for all problems that affect the human eye, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. In the beginning, some home remedies can be applied for relief. However, if these do not achieve improvement, medical or drug treatment must take place.

Treatment and therapy

Treatment of itchy eyes is always effective when the cause has been identified. In this context, one also speaks of causal therapy. If the cause remains in the dark despite sufficient diagnosis, symptomatic treatment must be given so that the patient can be as symptom-free as possible. If, for example, the itchy eyes are caused by poor vision, correction with a suitable visual aid can quickly provide relief. If PC work is the cause, regular breaks should be taken to relieve the eyes. So-called artificial tears or cold compresses can provide short-term soothing of itchy eyes. If the cause is a bacterial infection, eye drops with antibiotics or mucous membrane decongestants are used for treatment. Particularly in cases of unclear findings, ophthalmologists often prescribe drops containing cortisone, because this can temporarily relieve the symptom of itchy eyes. If allergies are the cause of itchy eyes, the doctor will prescribe special anti-allergic eye drops with so-called mast cell stabilizers and antihistamines. In severe cases, oral administration of antihistamines may also be necessary. In the longer term, patients with itchy eyes due to allergies also benefit from hyposensitization. In cases of itchy eyes as an expression of an underlying systemic disease, other medical specialties must also be involved in treatment.

Outlook and prognosis

Itchy eyes are usually dry eyes. The dryness must feel uncomfortable and preferably bothersome for the person to notice that something is wrong – so it feels like itching. Often the causes are contact lenses or dry, stuffy room air. The itchy feeling in the eyes disappears as soon as the eyeball is sufficiently moist again. Contact lens wearers in particular can help themselves out with a special lipid spray, as itchy eyes are a frequent occurrence among them.This replaces the outermost layer of moisture that is broken in dry eyes, the so-called lipid layer, which coats the eyeball and protects it from drying out. As a result, itchy eyes improve almost immediately after application. If they occur again, the lipid spray is applied repeatedly. It cannot harm the eyes and is therefore a helpful and fast-acting remedy. However, external influences are not the only cause of dry and therefore itchy eyes – allergies, infectious diseases or even the influence of medications can dry out the eyes, causing them to itch eventually. In these cases, the improvement depends on the cause. While some allergies in severe cases can result in such symptoms for months, mild conjunctivitis as a cause of itchy eyes can heal quickly and the unpleasant feeling can be well relieved by home remedies such as cotton pads with lukewarm chamomile tea.

Prevention

For prophylaxis of itchy eyes, allergy-causing substances should be avoided as much as possible. To prevent ocular strain, screen work should be limited in time and interrupted by regular breaks. An eye wash bottle has proven helpful in preventing eye emergencies. If toxic substances get into the eye, it can be used to properly rinse the eye, thus preventing itchy eyes. Prevention also includes consistent drug therapy to counteract chronicity.

What you can do yourself

When you have itchy eyes, it is important to relax your eyes. They need to rest in order to fight the itch, which can happen especially during sleep. Therefore, in case of itchy eyes, the patient should also refrain from working on a computer or watching TV, thus sparing the eyes. In most cases, the itching in the eyes thus disappears after a few hours and does not lead to further problems or complications. The itchy eyes can also be fought with the help of eye drops from the pharmacy. These are also available without a prescription and can advance the healing process. It is also perfectly normal for itchy eyes to cause some watering. This is the eyes’ own protective mechanism. The patient should avoid rubbing the eyes at all costs and also avoid touching the eyes with the fingers. This usually only intensifies the itching. If the itching leads to pain and does not disappear on its own, an ophthalmologist must be consulted. In this case it can be an infection or an inflammation, which does not disappear by itself. A doctor should also be consulted immediately if, in addition to itching, there is also a change in visual acuity.