Q: I been using various eyedrops for years trying to make my eyes feel better and look better. Nothing seems to really solve it, could my eyes just naturally a little itchy and not very white?
A: Yes, it could be, but many people have eye irritation that has a very solvable cause. The overall name for your symptoms is “Dry Eye Disease”. This title includes many forms of DED and can indicate many types of treatments. Generally, what most people do is to go to the pharmacy and buy an over-the-counter eyedrop. This is usually not a solution. Most eyedrops might decrease the symptoms, but do not cure or solve the underlying cause.
Step one: See you eye doctor, your Primary Care eye physician…..not your Family Physician or an Eye Surgeon. They can examine your eyes and eyelids, and run some in-office tests to help determine the underlying cause. Then the most appropriate treatment can be prescribed for you.
While there are many reasons your eye surface tear layer may be unhealthy, and can be treated, the most common, and widely unknown cause, is an infestation of mites in the base of your eyelashes. I know this sounds disgusting and implies you must have poor hygiene…..but that is not true. Much like dust mites inhabit our pillows and live on our constantly sloughing dead skin, these eyelid mites affect many otherwise healthy and clean individuals.
The common symptoms are chronic low grade itching, sometimes with a mild scratchy/gritty feeling, and often mild redness/pinkness of the eyelid edges. The mites actually live up inside the base of your eyelashes and can come out at night as you sleep. I know, sounds pretty “creepy”, but that aspect is the key to our diagnosis. With the biomicroscope we use in your eye exam, we can see the residue of the mites on your eyelashes!
Treatment may involve using an antiseptic eyelid wipe, or an actual eye drop medication to kill the mites. But like many of these type of things, the “cure” may not be permanent. You might need to include some sort of eyelid cleaning routine to keep you eyes comfortable and happier. Treatment is effective and not at all painful, but again, may be somewhat chronic……like flossing your teeth.
Failure to treat and solve this can cause you to begin losing your eyelashes, but should not endanger your eyesight. See your eye doctor and be sure to mention your symptoms. Do not assume this is all normal and not worth mentioning. Complete resolution is quite possible with accurate diagnosis and treatment.