Sensitive Eyes

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

11 Sep 2009 04:47 PM

Sensitive Eyes sounds like a good title for a dreamy romance novel... but I was thinking more of your actual eyes being sensitive to things. Maybe I'll write that romance someday, though!

You may already know if you have sensitive eyes. Symptoms can include:

• Bloodshot eyes
• Excessive tearing or watering
• A generally uncomfortable feeling

Basically, sensitive eyes are easily irritated by things that don't bother most other people. You may find your eyes easily irritated by smoke, dry air, wind, chemical fumes, and more.

A number of different things can lead to sensitive eyes. A healthy, normal eye has a layer of tears covering the eyeball pretty much all the time. This helps keep the eye lubricated. It also allows the eyelids to move smoothly over the eyeball when you blink! Blinking helps keep the tear layer even.

In a sensitive eye, there may be a problem with that tear layer:

• Irritation of the eyelid (seborrheic blepharitis) can lead to improper or irregular lubrication of the eye surface. This can leave your eyes with a feeling of burning, scratching, or dryness. Eyelid irritation can also interfere with regular blinking, further depleting the tear layer.
• Dryness (dry eyes) is another eye lubrication issue. If you have too little tear fluid or chemically unbalanced tears, the surface of the eye may not have an even layer of protection. When the eye's surface becomes dry, you may feel burning, itching, or like there's something in your eye. Ow!
• Abnormalities of the eye or eyelid (like cysts and other small growths) can interfere with eye wetting during blinking. This can lead to eye sensitivity.
• Allergies can leave you with watery, itchy, red eyes. Some allergies are seasonal; others are present all year. Identifying your allergy triggers can help you cut back on eye sensitivity -- if you know you're allergic to smoke, for example, you can try to avoid smoky situations.
• Use of cosmetics can cause chronic irritation to the eye -- if you are a long time, consistent user of cosmetics. Using contaminated, old cosmetics can lead to irritation and infection. Throwing out old makeup every six months or so may help cut down on eye sensitivity.

Figuring out the cause of your eye sensitivity can help determine treatment. It may be as simple as using eye drops or more complicated like figuring out allergens. Your eye doctor can help!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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