Eye Irritation
Help! My Eyes are Driving Me Crazy!
What Should I Do?
Ultimately, if this doesn't answer your questions then it may be well worth your time to call and make an appointment with your Primary Care Doctor or your eye doctor
The first thing that you should know is that most eye drops over the counter are more than enough for what you’ll need. One drop should be enough for each eye, and each bottle holds about 200 drops, which is enough for about one month if you’re using drops a couple of times per day.
If you need eye drops more frequently than a few times a day, or need them for more than a month, you should talk to your doctor about this for a closer examination. Your Family Doctor should know basics about all of these things, but if it’s an ongoing problem it’s worth seeing a specialist like an ophthalmologist to make sure nothing else is going on.
What’s the Difference Between an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist?
An ophthalmologist is a doctor who went through medical school, then further training to become an expert with eyes and be able to examine and perform surgeries on them. An optometrist does not go through medical school, but is qualified to examine eyes and assess need for glasses or contacts.
Does it Matter if I Get the Brand Name?
Unfortunately, sometimes it does. Different brands use different preservatives, and some people can develop allergies to certain additives, and should try another brand. If none of them work without irritating your eyes, try ‘Preservative-Free’ drops.
My Eyes Feel Dry and Scratchy!
Artificial Tears are simply that: an eyedrop to replace your tears and help wash out anything that might be irritating your eyes. If these aren’t lasting long enough, something like Refresh Celluvisc can help, as it’s a gel version of lubrication. Be aware it may make your vision a little blurry for a few minutes.
Lastly, if you use a CPAP or wake up with your eyes feeling sandy, the last resort is GenTeal Tears or Systane Gel
Ultimately what you’re looking for are “Lubricant Eye Drops.” The primary ingredient that you’re looking for is “Carboxymethylcellulose.” When in doubt, Refresh and Systane are common reliable brands, but Blink and Thera Tears are effective and safe as well.
My Eyes are Itchy from Allergies!
The best fix for this is “Ketotifen” (which is sold under brands like Alaway and Zaditor). If this is an ongoing problem, sometimes pills are a better solution though: things like Claritin (Loratadine), Zyrtec (Cetirizine), or Allegra (Fexofenadine)
One Last Word of Caution:
One thing is for sure: stay away from Visine, Naphcon, and Clear Eyes. If your eyes are red, there’s a reason for it. Typically it’s because the blood vessels in your eyes are dilated to help relieve inflammation to the surface of the eyes after a trauma, exposure to allergens (things like pollen and dust), or viruses like colds.