Foreign body sensation – the causes and what can be done about it

If there is indeed an eyelash, an insect or a speck of dust on the eye, the cause is obvious. But often it scratches for no apparent reason. There are various diseases of the eye that can cause such a foreign body sensation, but many people do not immediately recognise them, e.g.

• inflammation of the cornea or conjunctiva
• a stye, a purulent abscess on the eyelid margin, which can be very painful
• injury to the sensitive nerves on the surface of the eye
• external factors, such as draughts or heat
• a lubricating disorder with associated eye dryness

Crusting on the eye, especially in the morning after waking up, also leads to your eyes feeling scratchy or even sticky. If your eyes are regularly covered with crusts, this could

Dry eyes, also known as sicca syndrome, are one of the most common causes of a foreign body sensation. People who spend a lot of time in front of a display screen, whether at work or in their private lives, are particularly familiar with that gritty feeling. It is usually associated with other symptoms:

• redness
• burning
• itching
• scratching
• tearing
• pain

Because of the lubricating disorder, the tear film does not cover the surface of the eye adequately enough to protect it. The tear film is then thin or unstable and ruptures much more quickly. With each blink of the eye, there is strong friction of the eyelids on the cornea of the eye. Since the nerve endings of the visual organ react very sensitively, sensations of discomfort develop which are often described by those affected as a gritty feeling.

Another side effect of dry eyes: Because of the lack of tear fluid, many sufferers wake up with heavily crusted eyes. This, of course, increases the foreign body sensation with every blink, as the encrustations rub, scratch and cause irritation in on eye.

Firstly, check carefully to see whether there is actually a foreign body on your eye. This is because eyelashes or small insects can sometimes get onto the eye and stick to the tear film; most people have experienced this at some time or another. These foreign bodies should be carefully removed from the eye with clean fingers and a clean handkerchief. The best way to do this is to carefully lift your eyelid and wipe the foreign body from the surface of your eye in the direction of your nose.

However, if the foreign body sensation on your eye is constant or recurring, an eye specialist should be consulted. There are different treatment options, depending on the cause. Dry eyes are usually treated with lubricating eye drops or eye gels, which ensure the restoration of an adequate tear film and stabilise the tear film in the long term. Irritation of the eye should then diminish, as should the gritty feeling in the eye.

There is also a way to prevent crusting during sleep and the unpleasant gritty feeling on waking up. Special eye ointments prevent the discomfort on account of their smooth quality.

On the other hand, those who suffer from inflammation of the eyes should be treated with medication that an eye specialist will prescribe after examining them. In this way, the specialist can determine whether a bacterial or viral infection is present, which must be treated differently in each case.