Sometimes, even though no foreign body has entered our eyes, we notice that there is something bothering us, as if we had tiny grains of sand that are really uncomfortable. This sensation can be due to different causes, which must be investigated, but as a first step, it is necessary to find a solution that provides us with relief. Do you want to know how to remove the sensation of sand in the eyes? Keep reading this. article and find out what can cause it and what to do to make it disappear or at least reduce it. What is the sensation of sand in the eyes.
Any small particle that reaches the inside of the eye causes us immediate discomfort that makes us end up rubbing our eyes and causing further irritation or injury. It may be any little thing, even an eyelash, but it may also be nothing at all, although the feeling of having sand is there without us knowing the cause.
This strange grit is one of the most frequent consultations that ophthalmologists see and the most common cause is dry eye syndrome. This pathology involves some alteration or malfunction of the lacrimal system, which is responsible for the necessary lubrication of the outermost layers of the organ of vision: the cornea and the conjunctiva. The tears that the system produces cyclically create a thin film that protects the eye and helps maintain its moisture conditions, ‘bathing' it with each blink.
Ocular dryness is, in most cases, responsible for the fact that when lowering the eyelids, they do not slide with the normal smoothness, because the eye is not suitably hydrated. The result is noticing that we have ‘pebbles' that we are desperately trying to remove.
In addition to dry eye, the sensation of sand in the eyes may be related to other causes such as allergies, conjunctivitis due to virus or bacterial infection, styes or other less frequent diseases, such as the appearance of a benign tumor in the sclera (white part) of the eyeball, a disease called Pterygium. We advise you to read these other articles on How to cure conjunctivitis and how to cure an internal stye.
How to remove the sensation of grit in the eyes
Generally, this type of discomfort is temporary and not serious, but, of course, in the event of persistent symptoms or those that are accompanied by inflammation, irritation, tearing, secretions or vision problems, specialized medical attention is required. Finding out the cause is necessary, but there are also some practical measures that can bring good relief.
- In the first place, washing the eyes is the first solution that you should try because it may not be a sensation, but rather a foreign body has actually entered the eye. For this wash, it is better to use physiological serum or artificial tears than tap water.
- When the problem lies in dry eyes, the most effective remedy is to resort to artificial tears, better if they contain hyaluronic acid, a solution in drops with a similar composition to natural tears. These drops, easy to apply, will provide the hydration that the eye requires so that the feeling of grit decreases. It is relatively normal for dry eyes to appear as we age, especially after 50, and artificial tears may be the solution if indicated by the ophthalmologist.
- Especially if the itching is accompanied by inflammation, washing the eyes with an infusion of chamomile can also be a great help. You just have to clean them with a gauze soaked in the liquid once it cools down or, better, is cold from the fridge, since the cold itself deflates. Remember to always do it from the inside out, that is, from the tear area to the outer corner of the eye and use a gauze pad for each eye, not the same one for both. Here you can read more about How to wash the eyes with chamomile.
How to avoid the sensation of sand in the eyes
As we have mentioned, the sensation of sand in the eyes can be due to different pathologies that will require the corresponding medical treatment, but, sometimes, it is caused by external factors, which can be avoided or controlled, thus preventing the eyes from ending up with dryness. excessive. Some simple preventive measures are:
- Maintain proper eye hygiene to help prevent possible infections such as conjunctivitis. Cleaning our hands before touching our eyes is especially important.
- Use appropriate glasses that also help protect the eyes. For example, it is advisable to wear them to swim in the pool or also use sunglasses if you are allergic to pollen or dust and you are going to expose yourself to an environment where allergens that can most damage your eyes abound.
- Be careful with the hours you spend in front of computer screens and similar devices. By staring at them, without realizing it, our blinking decreases, causing the tear film that protects the eye to not be distributed correctly over the cornea and preventing proper hydration. In addition, blue light rays are the ones that most damage the eyes, so if you spend a lot of time in front of your PC or on your mobile, you can use blue filter glasses as an essential preventive measure.
- Avoid environments full of smoke and also those with excessive environmental dryness. In the latter case, the use of humidifiers can give good results in preventing the appearance of grittiness.
Now that you know what the sensation of sand in the eyes may be due to and how to relieve it, we advise you to read these other related articles on Why I feel prickling in the eye and I wear contact lenses and my eyes are dry, what do I do?
