“I get an itch in my eye that is very bothersome, and it also makes my eye red. Sometimes, I can’t help but rub it, which I know does not help. My wife thinks it could be stress, but what could it be?”

Our listener to 103.3 US Country asks a detailed question about his eye. However, without examining the eye in person, this will only be guesses as to what might be the cause. I strongly advise our listener to seek eye care with their optometrist to investigate his complaint.

But in the meantime…
 

What could be wrong?

There’s a few possibilities that could cause an itchy red eye.

• Allergies are known to cause itchiness. While allergies usually affect both eyes, it isn’t impossible for only one eye to be affected.

• Sometimes an eyelash can grow the wrong way, medically known as trichiasis. This can cause irritation, itching, and redness. The offending eyelash will need to be removed to fix the problem.

• Blephartitis can cause itchy eyes as well as redness. This is where excess crusts and flakes are produced on the eyelid margins which can affect the meibomian glands.
   

Again, without examining our listener’s eyes, these are a few guesses as to what might be wrong
 

What should he do?

Of course, he is correct to try to not rub his eye as that will make the itching worse. Rubbing causes more histamine to be released and increases the itch.

His best bet is to see his optometrist to find the source of the redness and itching so that the proper treatment can be employed.

At Vision Source Mandan, we deal with issues like this every day! We can also see you the same day you call.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.