You blink, you rub your eye, but that annoying feeling just won’t go away. It feels like a grain of sand or an eyelash is stuck, even when you can’t see anything in the mirror. This common experience is called a foreign body sensation, and our team at Waterloo Vision Care Clinic knows it can be distracting and uncomfortable.
The feeling that something is in your eye can happen for many reasons, from a simple scratch on the surface to chronic dry eye. Understanding the possible sources can help you know whether to seek treatment from our eye care team or to try some at-home tips.
What Causes That Gritty Sensation in Your Eye
Many different things can make it feel like you have sand or dust in your eye. While it might be a tiny particle that your tears will eventually wash out, that feeling can also point to other eye conditions that need attention.
A Tiny Scratch on the Surface
A minor scratch on the cornea (the clear front part of your eye) can make it feel like something is trapped under your eyelid. This is called a corneal abrasion, and it can happen when a foreign object enters your eye (i.e. particle of dirt), from a poke with a fingernail, a makeup brush, or even from rubbing your eye a little too hard, especially with contact lenses in.
Persistent Dry Eye
When your eyes don’t produce enough quality tears to stay lubricated, your eyelids can’t glide smoothly over the surface. This friction is a common sign of dry eye and often creates a gritty, scratchy feeling that makes you think something is stuck in there.
Eyelid Inflammation or Pink Eye
Conditions like blepharitis (inflammation along the edges of the eyelids) or conjunctivitis (pink eye) can also cause irritation. The additional symptoms (such as redness, swelling, and discharge) associated with these conditions can also lead to the constant feeling that something is in your eye.
A Simple Irritation vs. An Eye Emergency
Knowing how to tell the difference between a minor issue and a situation that requires immediate help is important. While many causes of this gritty feeling aren’t serious, some symptoms are a clear signal to seek prompt attention to protect your sight.
- Simple irritation: You may notice mild scratchiness, slight redness, and some watering that improves within a few hours.
- Possible emergency: You should seek immediate care for severe pain, any changes to your vision, thick discharge, or if you know a sharp object (or an object at high speed) made contact with your eye.
How You Can Find Relief at Home
If your discomfort is mild and you don’t have any serious symptoms, a few steps at home may help you feel better. The most important thing is to avoid doing anything that could make the irritation worse. Try these tips:
- Don’t rub your eye: It’s a natural reflex, but rubbing can cause a small scratch or push a small particle deeper into the eye’s surface.
- Use artificial tears: Over-the-counter lubricating eye drops can help soothe the irritation and flush out any tiny particles. A preservative-free artificial tear is always the best option for flushing out your eye.
- Try a warm compress: A clean, warm washcloth held gently over your closed eye for several minutes can help to relieve discomfort from eyelid inflammation.
Why That Feeling Might Linger
Sometimes, that gritty feeling just sticks around. If home care doesn’t bring relief after a day or so, it could be a sign of an underlying issue. A persistent foreign body sensation may be linked to:
- A corneal abrasion that isn’t healing correctly.
- Chronic dry eye that can benefit from a personalized management plan.
- A stubborn infection that may need specific medication to clear up.
- An actual foreign body that is lodged under the eyelid or in the front surface of your eye and needs prompt removal.
When to Connect with Your Eye Doctor
You shouldn’t have to live with eye discomfort. If you’re concerned about your eyes, a complete exam can help to identify the contributing factors to the problem. It might be time to seek professional help if you notice:
- New or worsening eye pain
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision or other changes in your sight
- Pus or a thick discharge from your eye
- The feeling doesn’t improve after 24 hours
Discover Comfort Again
Your sight is precious, so don’t ignore symptoms that seem out of the ordinary. Our team at Waterloo Vision Care Clinic can perform a thorough examination to find the source of your discomfort and discuss a path toward relief. Schedule your appointment to start getting clear answers and the personalized care you need.
