Burning eyes can have several possible causes, ranging from the easy to the complex, and the burning experience can occur with or without other symptoms such as itching, eye pain, watery eyes or discharge.
Regularly, burning eyes are triggered by inevitable environmental impacts, such as strong winds or high pollen counts. However, similar feelings can be symptoms of a more major eye issue that needs medical interest. To select proper treatment, it’s important to very first develop the cause (or causes) of your burning eyes.
“Why Do My Eyes Burn?” – Causes of Burning Eyes
In some cases it’s simple to inform exactly what’s causing an eye to burn. For example, your eyes might burn if you get chemicals in them, such as shampoo active ingredients, chlorine from a pool, or sunscreen. Other common irritants that can make your eyes burn include makeup, skin moisturizers, soap and cleaning products.
Using contact lenses for long periods of time also can make your eyes burn.
Burning eyes also can originate from ecological irritants like smog, smoke, dust, mold, pollen or family pet dander. If you are allergic to any of these drugs, they are a lot more most likely to make your eyes burn. However, even “clean” air can cause your eyes to burn, especially when it’s specifically hot, cold or dry.
Although getting something in your eyes can cause them to burn, burning eyes often signify a serious eye condition. For example, conditions such as ocular rosacea, dry eyes and blepharitis can trigger symptoms of burning eyes.
In truth, anything that triggers inflammation can create a burning experience. Eye allergies, along with bacterial and viral eye infections, can trigger inflammation that causes burning eyes. Even a common cold or the flu can trigger eyes to burn.
In unusual instances, burning eyes can be a sign of a major sight- or deadly condition such as uveitis or orbital cellulitis.
Frequently, burning eyes take place alongside other symptoms that can give your eye doctor hints about the root cause of your discomfort. For example, when burning eyes occur with itching, it may indicate allergies; or if you have burning and eye discharge, this might mean an infection. Other symptoms of burning eyes can be after waking up (in the morning), and headache, with tiredness (fatigue), sensitive to light, during pregnancy, with fever, at allergies, at night, with sore throat, with blurry vision.
How to Get Relief From Burning Eyes
If a home item enters your eyes and causes burning, the very first thing you should do is examine the item label for certain instructions. In most cases, you will be able to safely wash your eyes to ease the burning feeling.
For instance, kids and grownups often get sunscreen in their eyes throughout the warmer months. Though the burning or stinging may at first be considerable, washing your eyes carefully with clean water commonly will provide fast relief.
If you are an allergy patient, your doctor might recommend certain eye drops that can minimize the burning you may normally experience throughout allergy season. These drops vary from oral allergy medications, which can in some cases trigger eyes to burn by drying them out. If you are taking an allergy medication, or any other medication that you believe is triggering your eyes to burn, make certain you discuss your concerns with your doctor before ceasing use.
Burning eyes caused by a dry eye condition typically can be alleviated with regular usage of lubricating eye drops (also called synthetic tears). When choosing a brand of synthetic tears, think about one that is preservative-free – especially if you prepare to make use of the drops often. If your discomfort continues, let your doctor know, because there are other dry eye treatments that might be more efficient as well as assist alleviate your burning eyes.
Cool compresses gently applied over your closed eyelids also can help soothe burning eyes.
When to Call a Doctor
If your burning eyes are accompanied by pain or extreme light sensitivity, or if you have any eye discharge, blurred vision, eye floaters or flashes of light, double vision or other unanticipated symptoms, call your optometrist immediately for instant interest.
Even if none of these extra symptoms occur, you ought to contact your eye doctor if your eyes continue to burn for more than a few days.
When to Worry About Burning Eyes
Consult your doctor right away if:
- The discharge is greenish, thick or looks like pus as it is a sign of bacterial conjunctivitis.
- You are experiencing intense sensitivity to light or eye pain.
- You are experiencing a decline in your vision.
- The swelling in your eyelids has increased a good deal.
Call 911 and ask for immediate medical interest if the burning in your eyes is accompanied by serious symptoms like:.
- Blood coming out of the eye.
- Double or blurred vision.
- Release coming out of the eye.
- Pain in the eyes.
- Changes in vision or loss of vision.
- Viewing flashing lights.
- Viewing hovering spots or things.
