Whether it’s allergens, foreign particles, or a scratch, eye irritation is a common reason to visit the eye doctor for an eye exam. If your eyes are irritated, it could be your body’s natural response to an otherwise harmless irritant, but your eye doctor can confirm what’s going on and help you get back to optimal eye health as quickly as possible. Below is a more detailed explanation of how your eyes respond to irritation.

Tears

Eye irritation can be caused by injury to the eye or irritants coming into contact with your eye. These can include allergens like pollen and dander, irritating fumes from paint or onions, and foreign bodies such as hair or ash. Your eye’s first line of defense is to produce tears. This helps because tears are usually able to wash the foreign body out of your eye with minimal damage or discomfort, whether the object is an eyelash or pollen, which allows your eye to recover from the minor discomfort. You’re liable to tear up on and off until the eye irritation has gone away, but your doctor can recommend an artificial tear eye drop if necessary.

Inflammation

If tears aren’t able to wash the foreign body out of your eye, it’s a signal to your brain that the cause of irritation is likely an injury, not a foreign object that can be removed. Your optometrist will tell you about common injuries and conditions that can trigger eye irritation, which include sties, scratches, bruising, and more. In an effort to facilitate faster healing, your body will try to restore itself with inflammation. The blood vessels in your eyes will become redder, larger, and itchy during this process, but the inflammation expedites the delivery of important antibodies and nutrients to the site of the irritation. This allows for targeted healing.

When It Can’t Heal Itself

Most cases of eye irritation will resolve on their own, but if you begin to develop a fever, worsening eye pain, bloody or discolored eye drainage, or the irritation doesn’t recede within a few days, you may have an eye infection or other condition. Your eye doctor will likely perform a series of different eye exams and tests to diagnose the cause of the irritation, and if it’s minor, such as a slightly infected scratch or a stubborn piece of hair, they’ll be able to prescribe antibiotic eye drops or another remedy.

If your eye irritation doesn’t go away within a few days, contact the eye doctors at West Valley Vision Center in Fairbanks, AK. They’ll diagnose the cause of your irritation and prescribe remedies if necessary. From eye exams to vision correction to management of diseases, their optometrists and staff will provide thorough, comprehensive care for your eyesight, and they’re available Monday through Saturday to help fit your schedule. Learn more about their staff online, or call (907) 479-4700 for an appointment.