Burning eyes or. Burning eyes have become a kind of widespread disease in modern times. This means a burning or itchy sensation in one or both eyes, which can also be accompanied by a feeling of foreign body. The causes of burning eyes can be very different in individual cases.
What are burning eyes?
Many people suffer from itchy or burning eyes. Those affected complain of a foreign body sensation under the lid that cannot be removed.
Often the eyes are sticky when the person wakes up in the morning. Depending on the individual case, the burning eyes can either water more often or instead be significantly too dry. It is not uncommon for a secretion to be found in the corner of the eye, which can be watery or viscous.
In many cases there is no external cause for the burning eyes to be found. If the symptoms persist for several days and are accompanied by a headache, difficulty concentrating or a fever, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
causes
Burning eyes can have many different causes. Inflammation of the conjunctiva or the eyelid causes the annoying burning and itching as well as minor injuries to the eye.
Often, however, the symptoms can also be caused by overexertion of the eye. This is especially common when the person spends many hours in front of a computer screen.
Contact lenses can also cause itchy or burning eyes. Finally, allergies such as hay fever or contact with chlorine - for example in a swimming pool - can cause burning eyes. The doctor can decide to what extent treatment is necessary and what it should look like in the individual case.
You can find your medication here
➔ Medicines for eye infectionsDiseases with this symptom
- Corneal inflammation
- allergy
- hay fever
- Conjunctivitis
- eczema
- Cataract
Diagnosis & course
Burning eyes do not always require medical treatment. In the event of irritation from chlorine or overexertion, it may be sufficient to rest your eyes for a while until the symptoms disappear on their own.
In case of doubt, however, an ophthalmologist should always be consulted. He begins his diagnosis with a detailed questioning of the patient in order to determine exactly when the symptoms began and what they could possibly be related to.
This is followed by an examination of the eyes. Injuries or inflammations are often expressed as redness or swelling, which the doctor can interpret accordingly. If necessary, smears can be taken and examined in the laboratory.
Complications
There may be complications associated with burning eyes. As more tears are formed when the eyes are burning, the surface of the eyes is moist. The moist surface makes the eyes susceptible to allergies and inflammation. Bacteria multiply on the damp surface and can cause severe irritation to the eyes. The bacteria can cause other diseases. A simple itch can cause pain.
Burning eyes can cause allergies such as hay fever, herpes on the eyes, viral conjunctivitis, or upper respiratory tract infections. There are also serious and dangerous diseases that can arise in connection with burning eyes. A hay fever allergy can develop into asthmatic symptoms. An allergy can spread to other allergens. Burning eyes may be related to atopic dermatitis. The eczema can cause inflammation that affects vision.
Burning eyes may indicate an infection of the eyelids or subcutaneous tissue, or inflammation of the structures of the eye. Cataracts or corneal damage can develop in particularly sensitive people. If wearers of contact lenses or glass eyes suffer from burning eyes, the mucous membrane is additionally irritated. It can lead to palpillary-like growths and in rare cases to cancer. Burning eyes can generally lead to the spread of an infection and blindness in particularly bad cases.
When should you go to the doctor?
Burning eyes can affect one or both eyes. In addition to burning sensation, itching or a foreign body sensation can also occur when the eyes are burning. Depending on the cause, burning eyes can be watery or very dry. A doctor's visit is usually not necessary immediately if your eyes are burning.
Working for hours on the PC can cause sore eyes, which quickly disappear after a break or after work. The situation is different if burning eyes persist for days and may be accompanied by headaches, difficulty concentrating or fever. Burning eyes also occur when the eyes come into contact with penetrated chemicals or even toxins. In such a case, the ophthalmologist should be consulted immediately.
It is best to first contact your family doctor or an ophthalmologist for those affected by burning eyes. An allergist may be called in as part of the examinations. Burning eyes are often associated with certain allergies such as hay fever or house dust allergy. Contact lenses can also cause stinging eyes. In addition, diseases of the eyes can of course cause burning eyes, for example conjunctivitis. A previously unknown visual impairment or a deterioration in vision can also be the cause of the burning eyes.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
Once the doctor has made a diagnosis and determined where the burning eyes are coming from, he can initiate therapy tailored to the individual case. If the eyes are only temporarily irritated, e.g. from working too long at the computer, it is often sufficient to cool them or to give them drops to avoid feeling dry.
If the symptoms are based on a previously undiscovered visual impairment, an appropriate visual aid can help. If the cause of the burning eyes is inflammation or an infection of the eye, the doctor can prescribe antibiotic or cortisone-containing eye drops, depending on the trigger, to remove the inflammation.
In the case of an allergy, it should first be determined which substances are triggering so that they can be avoided if possible. Acute complaints can be alleviated with special eye drops for allergy sufferers. For this purpose, the person affected can take so-called antihistamines, which generally reduce the symptoms of the allergic reaction.
If burning eyes occur due to a foreign body or even a poison in the eye, it should be washed out immediately before further measures can be taken. If the burning eyes do not have any of the above-mentioned triggers, they may be caused by a more serious illness. In this case, a comprehensive examination of the patient should be carried out to determine the cause and provide targeted treatment.
Outlook & forecast
Burning eyes need not necessarily be a medical complication. For many people they only occur for a short time and are not a particularly big problem. The burning sensation in the eyes often occurs when people are overworked and can be combated again through sleep and recovery.
It is not uncommon for the burning sensation to occur when certain chemical substances have got into the eye. Here the patient has to differentiate himself whether the substance could be harmful to the eye or not. In general, there is no need to see a doctor for shampoo or soap. In these cases, it is usually sufficient to rinse the eye with warm water until the burning sensation is gone. This can take a few minutes.
However, if other chemical substances have got into the eye, a doctor must be consulted urgently. Here juiced injuries to the eye can occur if the burning sensation is not treated. The chemical substances can severely damage blood vessels in the eye so that normal eyesight is no longer available. In many cases, eye drops treatment is also used to remove the stinging sensation from the eyes.
You can find your medication here
➔ Medicines for eye infectionsprevention
Those who suffer from burning eyes frequently should take some preventive measures. Allergy sufferers can take preventive medication to avoid more severe allergic reactions. If the burning eyes occur especially in connection with computer work, it can help to take regular breaks and to ensure that the humidity in the room is not too low. An appropriate distance from the monitor should always be maintained in order to relieve the eyes.
You can do that yourself
Moisturizing eye drops help eyes that sting from dry eyes or a mild allergy. If your eyes are sore due to long work at the computer screen, you should take regular breaks and ensure that the eyes are well moistened. Here too, the moisturizing eye drops known as "artificial tears" help. These are available over the counter in pharmacies or drug stores. It is important to use them according to the instructions and to pay attention to hygiene. Otherwise, possible pathogens will migrate from one eye to the other.
Treatment of conjunctivitis can be supported with sterile eye compresses. Here too, hygiene is essential. Possible tinctures for compresses are extracts of eyebright, black tea, oak bark, fennel, sage and turmeric. They relieve the itching. Fennel also helps reduce puffiness in the eyelids.
Castor oil helps with blepharitis: It works against dryness, inflammation and infections. The oil must be cold-pressed and hexane-free for use on the eyes. A few drops of the oil on the eyelid should alleviate the discomfort. If age-related changes in the conjunctiva are the main causes of dry, burning eyes, eye drops also help. Care should be taken to use either non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids. If the symptoms cannot be alleviated, a visit to the ophthalmologist is inevitable.
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