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Itchy Eyes

Also known as eye itching, ocular pruritus

Itch is the signature of allergy — if it does not itch, it is probably not an allergic eye.

About 1 minute to read

Overview

Itching is caused by histamine released from mast cells sitting in the conjunctiva. That is why it is such a reliable pointer: infections make eyes gritty and sore, dryness makes them burn, but it is allergy that makes them itch.

The catch is that rubbing feels wonderful and makes everything worse. Rubbing releases more histamine, spreads the allergen around, and over years of hard rubbing can thin and distort the cornea into keratoconus.

What are the common symptoms?

  • Itching in both eyes, often with the nose and throat too
  • Stringy white mucus, especially in the corners
  • Puffy lids and a swollen, glassy look to the whites
  • Watering and sneezing rather than thick discharge
  • Worse outdoors in pollen season, or around cats and dust

What causes it, and who is at risk?

Seasonal allergy to pollen and grass, and year-round allergy to dust mites, mould and animal dander. Contact lens wearers can develop giant papillary conjunctivitis, an itch driven by deposits on the lens surface.

Blepharitis and dry eye cause a lower-grade itch along the lid margins. Eye makeup, drop preservatives and contact lens solutions can all trigger a contact allergy, which typically involves the lid skin as much as the eye.

How is it treated?

Cool compresses, preservative-free lubricants to wash allergen off the surface, and not rubbing. Keeping drops in the fridge helps more than people expect.

Antihistamine and mast-cell stabiliser drops are the mainstay, and the stabiliser works best started before the season rather than during it. Persistent cases get a short, supervised course of steroid drops. Where lenses are the trigger, switching to daily disposables usually solves it outright.

When to get seen quickly

Itch with real pain, light sensitivity or blurred vision is not simple allergy and needs examining. So does an itchy eye in a lens wearer that does not settle within a day of stopping lenses.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Only an eye care professional who has examined you can tell you what is actually going on.

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Related conditions

Dry Eye Syndrome Burning, gritty, tired eyes — and often watery ones — caused by a tear film that is not doing its job. Conjunctivitis Inflammation of the clear membrane over the white of the eye — viral, bacterial or allergic, and treated quite differently in each case. Ocular Allergies Itchy, streaming, puffy eyes triggered by pollen, dust or animals — itch is the giveaway. Blepharitis Chronic inflammation of the eyelid margins — crusty lashes, sore lids, and a very common driver of dry eye.
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