Itchy eyes can be one of the most irritating experiences one has. Although almost all of us have experienced this at one time or another, itchy eyes are usually more of an inconvenience rather than any cause for alarm. In the over polluted air of today exist a number of tiny particles that most of the time cannot be seen, but have the ability to fly into an unprotected eye. These particles will cause immense discomfort, turning the eye red and itchy. The itchiness will in turn prompt the individual to start possibly rubbing the eye in order to remove the particle. It is highly recommended that a person suffering from itchy red eyes due to this reason do not use his/her hands to remove the particle, but rather splash water onto the eyeball as using the hands could possibly damage the eyeball due to the pressure applied. The eye will also secrete a liquid in the form of tears, to help lubricate the eye and make removal of the foreign particle easier. While itchy red eyes are very commonly a nuance, there are times when it could be caused to a relatively more serious issue like conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, and very frequently due to allergies.
Conjunctivitis is a well known eye condition that is extremely contagious. Although most of the time pink eye is caused by bacteria or viral infections, it can also be caused by smoke, dust as well as allergies. When a person has pink eye, one of the first signs is, in the morning when he or she wakes up, there will be a matted layered substance over the preventing the patient from partially or completely opening the eye. This matted layer created by a discharge of a yellow or green substance from the eye. You will also notice that inside of the lower eyelid will be quite red. When a person has conjunctivitis it is highly recommended that they use some sort of barrier or eye wear to prevent the infection from spreading. Eyeglasses are most commonly used.
A number of people will also get itchy eyes if they have developed allergies. One of the more common cases is during spring, when the air contains a higher number of pollen; it could lead to an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions will normally be accompanied by other symptoms such as a running nose and a lot of sneezing and coughing.