Eye Health More Eye Issues & Safety Top 6 Reasons for Eye Irritation Is it allergies or something else? By Troy Bedinghaus, OD Troy Bedinghaus, OD LinkedIn Troy L. Bedinghaus, OD, board-certified optometric physician, owns Lakewood Family Eye Care in Florida. He is an active member of the American Optometric Association. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 05, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Johnstone M. Kim, MD Medically reviewed by Johnstone M. Kim, MD Johnstone M. Kim, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a practicing physician at Midwest Retina in Dublin, Ohio. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Eye irritation is a common complaint. If your eyes are red and irritated, you may wonder if you should see your eye doctor. The human eye is very good at telling us when something is wrong. The truth is, eye irritation can occur for several reasons. This article presents several conditions that may be the cause. As always, it is best to seek the opinion of an eye care professional and avoid treating yourself if you are unsure of the condition. Verywell / Jessica Olah 1 Dry Eye Syndrome If your eyes sting or feel dry and scratchy, you may have dry eye syndrome. This condition may occur when the tear glands don't make the right amount or quality of tears. Dry eyes, or dry eye syndrome, is very common. It becomes even more common later in life. By age 65, we produce 65% fewer tears than at age 18. If you have dry eyes, your vision may be affected. Sometimes a lack of tears and moisture can cause vision to be blurry. Could Your Eye Discomfort Be Due to Dry Eye Syndrome? 2 Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, is inflammation of the conjunctiva. This is a clear membrane that lines the inside of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye. The most obvious symptom of pink eye is a red or "pink" colored eye. Inflammation causes small blood vessels in the conjunctiva to swell or increase in size. This causes a pink or red tint to the white of the eye. We typically think of pink eye as a type of conjunctivitis that is contagious and caused by a virus. Yet bacteria and fungi can also cause pink eye. Treatment may include home remedies, over-the-counter drugs, and prescriptions. All the Ways You Can Get Pink Eye—and What to Do About It 3 Eye Allergies Many people who say they have eye irritation are diagnosed with seasonal eye allergies. Eye allergies may cause significant discomfort, and interrupt daily activities with annoying symptoms, such as watery eyes. Eye allergies can feel miserable, as they affect vision and cause our eyes to itch uncontrollably. The most important part of treating an eye allergy is avoiding the trigger causing it. The trigger is an substance that your body overreacts to, and it leads to the symptoms you feel. One plan might be to stay inside when the pollen count is high, or during the times of day when pollen is at the highest levels. Keeping windows closed and using quality filters on air conditioners also may help to limit the triggers that irritate your eyes. The Symptoms and Treatments for Eye Allergies 4 Blepharitis Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelid. It commonly causes red, crusty eyelids. If you have blepharitis, your symptoms are likely most obvious when you wake up in the morning. You may find flakes of debris on the pillow or stuck on your eyelashes. This is quite common in both kids and adults. People who do not practice good facial and eyelid hygiene tend to develop blepharitis as well. 5 Corneal Ulcer A corneal ulcer is an erosion or open sore on the surface of the cornea. These sores are common in people who wear contact lenses, especially if they wear them overnight. Many times, corneal ulcers can cause intense pain, light sensitivity, and redness. Some may cause a feeling of constant irritation instead. 6 Trichiasis Sometimes, eyelashes can grow in the wrong direction. The medical term for this is trichiasis. It may be very subtle and you may not even see it if you look in the mirror. But eyelashes can be very coarse, and they may scratch your eye with every motion or blink. This seems simple but it can cause real damage to the cornea, the clear dome-like structure on the front part of the eye. The treatment is to remove the offending eyelash. It may grow back, though, because the eyelash growth cycle is about two to three months long. How to Prevent and Handle Misdirected and Ingrown Eyelashes Summary Red, itchy, and irritated eyes are never comfortable. However, some reasons for the discomfort are more serious than others. It's important to see your healthcare provider or an eye specialist to find the cause and have your eyes properly treated. Frequently Asked Questions How do you relieve eye irritation? It depends on the cause. If you have dry eyes or allergies, over-the-counter artificial tears may relieve irritation. Specific treatments may be needed for allergies, infection, and other conditions. Check with your doctor, especially if you have pain or the irritation doesn't go away. How do you treat eye irritation from contact lenses? Remove your contacts and rinse them with contact lens solution to remove any particles that could be causing irritation. If that doesn't help, keep your contacts out and check with your eye doctor. They can tell you if the irritation is caused by dry eyes or another condition. What causes eye irritation when blinking? Eye irritation that's worse when blinking could be caused by a particle in your eye. Other conditions may include dry eyes and blepharitis. Check with your eye doctor to get a correct diagnosis. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 8 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Javadi MA, Feizi S. Dry eye syndrome. J Ophthalmic Vis Res. 2011;6(3):192–198. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Conjunctivitis: What is pink eye? Kari O, Saari KM. Updates in the treatment of ocular allergies. J Asthma Allergy. 2010;3:149–158. doi:10.2147/JAA.S13705 Lindsley K, Matsumura S, Hatef E, Akpek EK. Interventions for chronic blepharitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;2012(5):CD005556. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005556.pub2 Loh K, Agarwal P. Contact lens related corneal ulcer. Malays Fam Physician. 2010;5(1):6–8. Ferreira IS, Bernardes TF, Bonfioli AA. Trichiasis. Semin Ophthalmol. 2010;25(3):66-71. doi:10.3109/08820538.2010.488580 Cleveland Clinic. Itchy, red eyes? How to tell if it's allergy or infection. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Why does it feel like something is rubbing against my eye when I blink?