4 The causes of eye irritation

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Updated May 30, 2014.

Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com Examination Council.

Many people visit the ophthalmologist with a common complaint: "I feel like sand in the eyes when I wake up in the morning," You complain that his tired eyes, itching, burning or gritty feeling like. a small piece of sand or particles stuck in the eye. They also complain of a hard time to open your eyes in the morning and speak very sensitive to light.

When they go to the ophthalmologist who have already purchased several types of over-the-counter eye drops, trying to find some relief.

Although sometimes falls a certain short-term relief, usually only sting or burn a little drop and do not contribute almost nothing (and if they need help, the cycle seems that begin the next morning).

If you think your eyes are gritty and irritated, you may be suffering from a particular disease. The following four conditions can cause a foreign body sensation in the eyes.

• Dry eye
  Dry eye syndrome often a gloomy feeling of sand in the morning that the situation in general, all the empire days. Can cause dry eye of varying severity unpleasant, irritating symptoms. If your eyes are dry eyes can do more than they burn itch. His view seems to be fluctuate too much and may take some time to have a good clear view of the morning. Additionally, the eyes must generate no tears during the night, because his eyes closed, and unstable tear film and includes a lack of quality and quantity.

  While artificial tears are a good start to treat dry eye, more importantly, is the type and brand of artificial tears that determined by your ophthalmologist. It's important to see your eye doctor because sometimes eye drops are not enough. You may have a gel or ointment in the eyes before he infuse sleep at night for protection. Your doctor may recommend medications or special procedures of the eye, as punctal occlusion to treat their dry eye.

• Nocturnal Lagopthalmos
  If you complain of sand in your eyes, your doctor may ask you if anyone, like your spouse, have you ever say that sleeping with your eyes open. You may think that your doctor is going too far with this, but lagophthalmos is a common disease, especially in children.

  In some people, the eyelids do not close, so that the cornea exposed to the end in the atmosphere overnight eye. Since not active flashes, his eyes dry and clearly called keratitis inflammation developed. This can cause light sensitivity and a very high sand, feeling of sand in the eyes in the morning.

  Lagophthalmos can be caused by a number of different conditions. In children, it is usually an anatomical problem which has become too fast. Lagophthalmos can also from a cosmetic eyelid surgery it was a little too aggressive occur. The skin may be high or too tight, without a full complement fixed or close during sleep.

  Other conditions, such as thyroid eye caused by proptosis cause lagophthalmos. People with nocturnal lagophthalmos should change not be afraid to use eye drops, ointments for thicker eyes to speed healing and reduce the symptoms.

• Floppy eyelid syndrome
  Floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) is a relatively rare condition that. By loose upper eyelids that are easily transferred to the interior FES usually in men who are overweight, middle-aged can be seen. Some people with FES also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.

  Sometimes, people with the FES, turning in his sleep or accidentally a certain way on a cushion inadvertently moved to the inner eyelid. FES treatment often includes artificial tears and antibiotics to reduce irritation if signs of infection occur, are available. Eyeshield band or on the lid closed during sleep can help to keep your eyes dry.

• Blepharitis
  Blepharitis is a group of diseases affecting the eyelashes, eyelids and glands of the eyelid. Blepharitis is often a bacterium that caused in the skin, but some people, because of age, skin changes or lack of proper hygiene, tend to accumulate more of these bacteria eyelids. Sometimes the glands of the eyelid are clogged or infected may cause dysfunction of the meibomian gland styes or eyes.

  Blepharitis tends to cause redness and inflammation. People with blepharitis can wake up in the morning with crusty eyelids. Sometimes the dry mucus are falling into the eye, causing irritation or gritty sand.

What To Do

When you wake up more than once with a sandy beach, a foreign body sensation in the eyes, you should see your eye doctor as soon as possible. The doctor may ask the following questions:

1. If you have to sleep with partially open eyes?
2. Your symptoms worse on waking?
3. Have your symptoms improve as the day goes on?
4. You sleep in a withdrawal of air or on the roof?

Your doctor will check your eyes with a slit lamp to for signs of dryness and other signs of inflammation such as keratitis look. He or she will teach a special layer where the eye dryness or inflammation seen. The location of the patch to your doctor clues to the causes of these symptoms.

_Source:

_{Review of Optometry 'as the morning paper. " April 15th 2012, S. 75-77.}