Feels Like Something is in My Eye

The eye is designed to push everything that is not supposed to be in the eye, like dirt or dust into the corner of the eye. Personally, if it feels like something is in my eye I might feel that it may be a result of an infection, or the fact that there is a really high chance of there is something, and it will cause a problem if not attended to. This feeling is mostly referred to as Foreign Body Sensation of the eye.

THE HUMAN EYES

Human eyes are basically all the same except that some function better than others. The eye defends itself by producing liquid from the tear duct. It literally cleans the eye and transports fluff, hairs and such safely out of your eye. Eyeballs carry out quite a bit of neural processing before the visual information is sent to the brain proper.
Eyes allow you to actually see the bad, the good and the ugly and also beauty in the world and the environment we live in, vision provided by the eye are always good because it send environmental stimulus to the brain.

WHY DOES IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS IN MY EYE

Usually this discomforting sensation might just be that, there is something in your eye that doesn’t belong there. If it persists, it may indicate that you have an abrasion or infection that needs to be treated by a doctor. Some of the possible causes of these feelings are;

Dry Eyes
Foreign Body
Eye Infection and Disease

1. Dry Eyes

The feeling like there is something in your eye may be a stimulate to a dry eye effect, insufficient tears to serve as a lube for the eye may result in dry eyes. Dry eyes in most cases are as a result of a life style disorder, like the continuous use of computers and mobile phones in air conditioned room triggers the symptoms.

Depending upon the severity of dry eyes, normal to moderate cases can easily be managed through medications and punctal occlusions, the severe cases can be treated by handful trained optometrists.

SYMPTOMS OF DRY EYES

Dry eye conditions can be irritating, when symptoms do appear, they include both visible and tactile sensations. The following are the main symptoms of dry eye;

1. Blurred Vision: Blurred vision is a general term for decreased visual acuity or quality. Blurry vision is one of the symptom of dry eyes and more serious problems associated with eye defects.

2. Light hypersensitivity: Sensitivity to light can potentially be a symptom of a dry eye, which is due to staring without eye movement. This state of light sensitivity is know as Photophobia.

3. Intense stinging or a burning sensation in the eyes: The major cause of burning sensation in the eyes without an incidence of a foreign body and substance in the eye is dry eyes. This means that the tear quality or quantity is insufficient, thus causing the eye to dry out.

4. Red Eyes: Most commonly eye redness is caused by dry eye defects. Redness of the eyes if ignored can keep spreading and this sometimes is accompanied with increasing pain and decreasing visual acuity.

5. Scratchy and itchy eyes: Itchy eyes can be a symptom of dry and irritated eyes. Itchy eyes can be a factor of dry environments such as heat or wind, overuse of digital screens that can also affects the eye, and they are dry eye symptoms from lack of tear production in the eyes.

CURE FOR DRY EYE SYNDROME

There are few ways to cure dry eye syndrome permanently which include;

1. Eat Healthy: Eat more foods with Omega 3 and Omega 6, such as oily fish nuts etc. Certain medications can cause dry eye symptoms including oral contraceptives.

2. Hydrate Yourself: Change your lifestyle. It has been shown that drinking more water has an impact on dry eyes.

3. Use Lenses Carefully: Wear your spectacle prescription. Extra concentration without your prescription reduces blink rate.

4. Blink Often: Blink regularly for concentrated work such as computer use. Blinking stimulates tear production and reduces corneal drying.

5. Use Dry Eye Drops: Dry eye drops specifically before times your eyes are likely to become dry For instance before using the computer or concentrated tasks where blink rate reduces, staying in an air conditioned rooms and before going out on a cold day.

2. Foreign Body

That feeling of something in the eye might be as a result of the presence of a foreign body in the eye and it leads to an irritating sensation. Foreign bodies will work their way out, but sometimes they can be deep-rooted and have to be removed by a qualified health care provider.

Foreign Body like dust or debris, an eyelash, cocklebur, insect, or particle in the wind will likely be either loose or stuck on the conjunctiva, underside of upper eyelid, cornea, lashes, or more rarely, the tear drains in the nose corner thereby giving that discomforting feeling of something present in the eyes.
All eyes foreign bodies are serious, but some are more serious than others. A loose foreign body can scratch the cornea, and infection result if not tended to promptly.

STEPS TO TAKE WHEN FOREIGN BODY ENTERS THE EYES

Following are the practical technique and solution for flushing out a foreign object;

1. Flushing your eye, pour the water directly into your eye, letting it drain freely on the towel.

2. Treat another person eye by putting a dry towel around his or her shoulder to catch run-off. Tilt the head to one side so that the affected eye is lower. Pour the water into the uppermost corner of the eye and let it drain out of the other side.

3. The affected eye should not be rub. Wash your hands thoroughly. If you are wearing contact lenses, remove them straight away.

4. If you do find a speck of debris on the white of the eye, try flushing the eye with the water.

5. If speck is under the upper eyelid, grasp the upper lashes and pull the upper over the lower one to gently brush it out of the eye.

WHEN TO SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE ON FOREIGN BODY IN THE EYE

Immediately seek medical advice if;

1. You think something entered your eye while you were using some power tool, hammering or chiseling.

2. If an object sticks on or in the eye or rests on the iris, and causing severe pain, please consult a doctor as soon as possible.

3. The person suffering from severe pain, extreme sensitivity to light, redness, after you have removed a particle from your eye and still it causing you blurred vision seek medical advice immediately.

3. Eye Infection and Disease

An Eye infection if left untreated can cause permanent damage to eyesight, which then may be difficult to treat. Eye infections are common and gives the feeling of something in the eye. They can occur in the outer part of the eye, in the eye lids, the lacrimal glands and ducts or within the eyeball itself which is more serious.

COMMON EYE INFECTIONS

Here are the list of more common eye infections:

1. Corneal Ulcer: This is a focal deposit of bacteria on the corneal surface. It is most commonly seen in those who abuse their contact lens wear, It is seen as a white dot on the cornea. If unchecked it could enlarge and it might penetrate into the eye which could cause permanent vision loss and rarely loss of that eye.

2. Conjunctivitis: The eye is a sensitive, delicate organ, and conjunctiva is especially sensitive to attack and infection by bacteria and viruses. Conjunctivitis is infection of the transparent membrane called conjunctiva which can result in feeling of something in the eye.

3. Endophthalmitis: These would cause severe blurring of vision in association with redness and possible pain, but the pain is sometimes not severe.

4. Eye Herpes: Herpes is a serious condition involving cold sores that spreads to the area around the eye or on the eye itself. It can cause damage to the cornea.

5. Chalazia or Stye: Stye is a small, usually painless, lump or swelling that appears on your eyelid and gives the irritating feelings of something in the eye.

SIGNS OF EYE INFECTION

Signs of an Eye Infection are:

Pain in the eye.
A feeling that something is in the eye.
Increased sensitivity to light.
Yellow, green, bloody, or watery discharge from the eye. Increasing redness of the eye or eyelids.
A grey or white sore on the coloured part of the eye iris.