Irritated eyes: What you need to know

The causes of an irritated eye are most varied:

• smoke
• dust
• fine dust
• allergies
• chlorinated water
• draughts
• wind
• ozone
• bright sunlight
• working at a computer screen
• cosmetic products
• contact lenses
• dry eyes

Irritated eyes can manifest themselves in some typical complaints:

• The eyes become red.
• The eyes burn and itch.
• It feels as if there is a foreign body in your eye.
• The eyes start to water.
• The eyelids swell up.
• The eyes are sensitive to pressure.

If the symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, you should consult an eye specialist. If left untreated, conjunctivitis can develop from irritated eyes. Furthermore, the symptoms could be caused by dry eyes or other eye diseases, which should be treated accordingly.

Primarily, you should avoid the triggers, so that your eyes do not become irritated in the first place. However, sometimes irritation cannot be prevented. The following treatment options are then applied:

• Cooling: Place a cool compress on your closed eyes and lie down for a few minutes. The cold relieves acute discomfort.
• Eye drops containing eyebright (Euphrasia): The natural ingredient will calm the irritation.
• Eye drops containing hyaluronic acid: The eye drops lubricate the surface of the eye evenly and thus relieve the discomfort.

If you know what irritates your eyes, you can avoid the trigger in the future:

• Smoke: Do not stand near a barbecue or bonfire in summer. If you have sensitive eyes, you should also avoid the company of smokers, as cigarette smoke can also trigger symptoms.
• Cosmetics: Stop using the products to which your eyes have reacted with irritation. Of course, it would be best to completely avoid personal care products, eye shadow and mascara. Alternatively, you can try products without preservatives or perfumes that are specifically suitable for sensitive eyes. Mascara should not be waterproof, as it dissolves better if a tiny crumb does get onto the surface of the eye.
• Contact lenses: If your eyes are irritated from wearing contact lenses, you should remove them immediately and wear glasses for the time being.
• Allergies: Contact with allergens, such as pollen and house dust mites, is usually difficult to avoid. Nevertheless, you can keep the windows closed during the hay fever season and should, if possible, avoid carpets in which dust can easily settle.
• Chlorine: If you cannot do without swimming in the pool, wear swimming goggles when swimming. They reduce the contact of the eyes with chlorinated water.
• Ozone: If you react to ozone with irritated eyes, you should heed the ozone warnings, issued in summer by local weather services, for values above 180 µg/m3 (1h mean value).
• Sunlight: Protect your sensitive eyes when outdoors by wearing sunglasses with UV protection.
• Working at a computer screen: Give your eyes a break more often at work. This is because the bright screen light and infrequent blinking when you are concentrating on the screen can severely irritate your eyes. Close your eyes every now and then or get some fresh oxygen by opening the window or going for a walk.

If you cannot avoid the environmental stimuli, you should support the tear film with moisturising eye drops as a precaution.