How to relieve itchy eyes: A guide

Itching eyes can be uncomfortable and frustrating. You might notice redness and tears and feel the urge to rub your eyes for some relief.

The best treatment for itchy eyes will generally depend on the cause. For example, if you’re experiencing allergies, OTC antihistamines may help manage your condition. If you have eczema or conjunctivitis, you may need prescription medications.

In all cases, self-care and home remedies may help soothe your itching.

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What can cause itchy eyes?

There are many reasons you might be experiencing itchy eyes:

• Allergies: Allergies can be year-round or seasonal, often known as hay fever. When you have an allergic reaction, your body produces histamine, which can cause sneezing, hives, and itchy eyes.
• Bacterial conjunctivitis: Also known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is inflammation of the thin layer of tissue that covers your eyes and the inside of your eyelid. Bacterial conjunctivitis is due to bacteria in your eye. It can involve itching, redness, and watery eyes, and you may notice crustiness around your eyelashes.
• Blepharitis: Blepharitis happens when the glands in your eyelids become blocked. It can cause itchiness, crustiness, and swelling around your eyes. It can also lead to light sensitivity and blurry vision.
• Styes: This is an eyelid infection that causes a pimple-like bump on your eyelid. It can be painful and cause itching and swelling.
• Eczema: This condition can cause skin discoloration and itching. While it’s more uncommon than other forms, eczema can affect your eyelids, making your eyes feel itchy.
• Dry eye syndrome: This is when your eyes don’t naturally produce enough tears to stay wet. This can cause irritation and itching, as well as vision disturbances.
• Irritation: Itchy eyes might occur if something gets into your eye, such as dust or an eyelash. This can be painful and uncomfortable, but it isn’t usually a cause for concern medically.

To identify what’s causing your itchy eyes, consider your other symptoms and environment. For example, if you also have sneezing and hives, you might have allergies. If you’ve recently shared makeup products and notice crustiness around your eyelashes, you might have conjunctivitis.

If you think you might have an underlying medical condition, consider speaking with a doctor for evaluation.

Home remedies for itchy eyes

No matter what is causing your itchy eyes, home remedies will likely help soothe the itch — although they usually won’t help treat an underlying medical condition.

Some strategies you may try include:

• applying cold or warm compresses on your eyes to relieve irritation and inflammation
• rinsing your eyes with water to flush out any irritants
• staying hydrated to help prevent dry eyes
• avoiding irritants or allergies

Another common strategy for eye conditions is placing warm, damp tea bags on your eyes. Black and green teas, for example, contain anti-inflammatory substances called flavonoids and tannins that may help soothe your symptoms.

OTC treatments

Alongside home remedies, some OTC medications can also help soothe itchy eyes.

• Antihistamines: These can help manage allergies and reduce symptoms such as itchy eyes. Examples include fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin), and diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
• Artificial tears: You can use these to help manage dry eyes. They come in eye-drop form and can help keep your eyes moisturized.
• Mild topical steroids: If you have eyelid eczema, very mild topical steroids are available OTC to reduce your symptoms. Because the skin around your eyes is so thin and sensitive, healthcare professionals only recommend mild steroids, such as 0.5% hydrocortisone cream (Cortef).

Prescription medications

Sometimes, itchy eyes are due to a condition that requires prescription medications, such as conjunctivitis, styes, or blepharitis. These conditions are often caused by bacteria, so you may need antibiotics to treat them.

Some antibiotics come in eye drop form specifically to treat eye infections. These include:

• chloramphenicol (Chloroptic)
• ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan)
• levofloxacin (Eyflox)

Some prescription eye drops might help with dry eyes, including:

• cyclosporine (Restasis)
• lifitegrast (Xiidra)
• loteprednol (Eysuvis)

For eyelid eczema, doctors might prescribe topical calceneurin inhibitors such as pimecrolimus (Elidel) and tacrolimus (Protopic).

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Online care for itchy eyes

If you think your itchy eyes are due to an underlying medical condition, it’s important to speak with a doctor. Bacterial infections, in particular, are transmissible, so getting treatment can help lower the risk of transmission.

Online care services, including Optum Perks Online Care, may make getting treatment easier. With these services, you can submit an online form answering a few questions about your symptoms, and a US-licensed healthcare professional will respond soon after to prescribe a treatment plan.

Summary

Itchy eyes can be uncomfortable and even painful. The best treatment will depend on the cause. For example, you can usually successfully treat allergies with OTC antihistamines. You can also often get OTC eye drops, which can help manage dry eyes.

Sometimes, itchy eyes are due to bacterial infections, which you need to treat with antibacterial eye drops. If you’re not sure what’s causing your itchy eyes, consider reaching out to a doctor, either in person or via online care.

Alongside these medications, home remedies can help soothe itchy eyes, such as applying cold compresses and warm tea bags on your eyes.

Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on many prescription medications. Plus, you can now get them delivered to your home in as little as 3 days. Search for your medication here.