Burning eyes commonly cause irritation and burning feeling, but some people may also experience itching, discharge from the eyes or tearing due to this problem. Depending on the cause of burning eyes, this condition may also cause dryness, redness or sore eyes. Some patients may experience nasal problems such as runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion or postnasal drip as well.
When to Call the Doctor?
Always be very careful about your eyes and make sure to call for immediate medical assistance if you happen to notice burning eyes associated with symptoms such as discharge from the eyes, blurred or double vision or changes and loss of vision. Eye pain and bleeding from the eye is also something that must not be neglected, so call your doctor instantly. Patients who see some flashing lights or spots and objects floating should also seek prompt medical care, in order to prevent any serious eye complications such as spread of eye infection or loss of vision.
Burning Eye Causes
Several factors might cause or contribute to development of burning eye disease, especially some environmental factors, different chemicals or medical conditions.
Exposure to environmental pollutants like tobacco smoke, smog, dust, mold or pollen is known to be a cause of burning eyes in some people. Dry air, pet dander, but also some commonly used household items, like soap, shampoo or bleach may affect your eyes and provoke irritation. Extremely cold or extremely hot weather, swimming in chlorinated swimming pools or even wearing of contact lenses for a long time may lead to eye problems. For some people, makeup is also problematic, since it can burn and irritate the eyes.
Various allergies and inflammation of the surface of the eyes (conjunctivitis), common cold, flu and many other upper respiratory infections can be identified as causes of burning eyes. The most serious medical conditions associated with burning eyes are uveitis and iritis as well as periorbital cellulitis. These conditions may be life-threatening and therefore should be immediately taken care of by a medical professional.
Diagnostic Procedure
If you happen to experience eye problems and consult your doctor he/she will have to know several things about your condition. He/she will have to find out when the problem started, whether there are any vision changes, eye pain or some nasal symptoms, such as stuffy nose or postnasal drip. Also, make sure to tell him/her about present discharge from the eyes, sensitivity to light or whether you wear contact lenses.
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