Itchy eyes: where the itch comes from and how to calm it

Itchy eyes most often point to an allergy, but the itch can also come from the edge of the eyelids, the skin of the eyelids, an eye drop or contact lenses. What comes with the itch helps tell these causes apart. It is rarely serious in itself; what should prompt you to see an ophthalmologist the same day is pain, a drop in vision or discomfort in light. In the meantime, three steps are preferable to home remedies: do not rub, rinse, apply something cold.

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Allergy, the leading cause of itchy eyes

When an allergen such as pollen, house dust or pet hair settles on the eye, certain cells of the conjunctiva, the mast cells, release histamine. It is histamine that triggers the itching, redness and watering: the 2020 Japanese guidelines list these as the three representative symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis (Miyazaki). Ocular allergy is very common. In the United States, up to 40% of the population is said to be affected, according to a 2020 Canadian review (Dupuis).

Several clues point to an allergy. Both eyes are affected at the same time, the tears are clear rather than sticky, and the eyelids may swell. A runny nose or sneezing often accompanies the attack. The calendar matters too: in spring, birch and then grass pollens dominate (see our article on spring eye allergy). All year round, dust mites, animals and moulds take over. An itch that keeps coming back in the same place, in the same room or on contact with the same animal often points to its allergen.

A viral conjunctivitis, by contrast, itches less than it stings: it causes a gritty, sandy feeling and abundant tears, and often affects one eye and then the other a few days later. Unlike allergy, it is contagious.

When it is the eyelids that itch

Many patients say “my eyes itch” when the itch is actually on the eyelids. Two common causes can be told apart by their exact location.

The edge of the eyelids: blepharitis

Blepharitis is a chronic inflammation of the free edge of the eyelids, where the lashes grow. It shows up as red, thickened eyelids, crusts or flakes at the base of the lashes, and a burning or itching sensation, often worse in the morning. One form is linked to Demodex, a microscopic mite that lives in the follicles of the lashes. The mite’s presence is recognised by small sleeves at the base of the lashes, called collarettes. A 2023 review (Rhee) lists age, rosacea and diabetes among its risk factors, and itching among its typical signs.

This form is far from rare. In a US study of 1,032 patients examined with a slit lamp, whatever their reason for attending (Trattler, 2022), 57.7% had these collarettes. Of these collarette carriers, 44% had never been diagnosed with blepharitis. Blepharitis often goes hand in hand with rosacea: when the face flushes easily, the eyelids and the surface of the eye are often affected too, which is ocular rosacea. A 2025 review (Mohamed-Noriega) describes it as a chronic inflammation of the surface of the eye, treated in stages: hygiene of the eyelids and skin, then medication if needed. Maintenance treatment rests on daily eyelid hygiene, and it continues over the long term.

The skin of the eyelids: eczema

When the skin itself is red, dry, peeling or cracked, this is eyelid eczema. In a US series of 105 patients with eyelid eczema (Amin, 2006), 43.8% had a contact allergy and 36.2% had seborrhoeic dermatitis. The allergens found were fragrances, metals, an antibiotic ointment (neomycin) and preservatives, including the one found in many eye drops, benzalkonium chloride. A resin used in nail varnish was also found: varnished nails that touch the eyelids are enough to trigger the eczema, often without the hands reacting.

The first step is to stop any new product applied near the eyes: make-up, make-up remover, cream, nail varnish. If the eczema comes back, allergy skin tests, called patch tests and carried out by a dermatologist or an allergist, can often identify the product responsible.

Eye drops, contact lenses, screens: other causes to know about

An eye drop can itself make the eyes itch. An itch that appears a few days or weeks after starting a treatment with drops suggests a reaction to the product or to its preservative. Benzalkonium chloride, the most widely used, destabilises the tear film and maintains inflammation of the surface of the eye when used long term (Baudouin, 2010). Chronic treatments, such as those for glaucoma, expose patients to it most. Even so, you should not stop a glaucoma eye drop on your own: a preservative-free version often exists, which the ophthalmologist can prescribe instead.

Contact lenses can, after months or years of wear, cause a reaction of the upper eyelid. The itching increases during wear, stringy discharge appears and the lens moves around more. A 2020 review (Kenny) lists the favouring factors: non-disposable lenses, replacement at too long intervals, prolonged wear, inadequate lens care and an allergic background. In mild forms, stopping the lenses is usually enough; changing the lens or the care routine often helps to prevent recurrence. In a lens wearer, however, pain or a red eye means taking the lens out and seeing an ophthalmologist the same day or, failing that, going to the eye emergency department, because an infection of the cornea must be ruled out.

Dry eye mainly causes a burning or gritty, sandy feeling, and vision that fluctuates at the end of the day. It can also make the eyes itch, and it aggravates an allergy: an insufficient tear film dilutes and clears allergens less well. Long hours on a screen make it worse, because we blink less in front of a screen (see dry eye and dry eye and remote working).

What comes with the itch points to the cause

RELIEF

What brings relief, and what is better avoided

Cold and artificial tears: a proven but modest effect

Two of these measures have been evaluated. In a British randomised trial (Bilkhu, 2014), eighteen people allergic to grass pollen were exposed to that pollen in a controlled chamber. Five minutes of cold compress and artificial tears, alone or combined, reduced redness and discomfort faster than no treatment; the combination reduced redness the most. The antiallergic eye drop remained more effective on symptoms, and the cold compress strengthened its effect.

• Rinse with physiological saline in single-dose vials, which carries allergens out of the eye.
• Apply something cold for a few minutes: a clean flannel run under cold water, held against closed eyelids.
• Put in preservative-free artificial tears, which can be used several times a day.
• During the pollen season, wear glasses outdoors, ventilate the house early in the morning or late in the evening, and rinse your face and hair in the evening.

If the allergy is confirmed, antiallergic eye drops are effective. These are antihistamines, which block the action of histamine, or mast cell stabilisers, which prevent its release. A Cochrane review of 30 trials and 4,344 participants (Castillo, 2015) concludes that they reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis compared with placebo and that they are well tolerated. It has no data, however, beyond a few weeks of treatment. Some of these eye drops are available without a prescription: the pharmacist can advise.

Do not rub: the gesture that costs the most

Rubbing relieves for a second and worsens everything else. The pressure releases more histamine, which restarts the itch. Repeated over years, rubbing is mainly associated with keratoconus, a progressive deformation of the cornea. An Australian meta-analysis of six case-control studies (Sahebjada, 2021) found that the habit of rubbing the eyes was markedly more common in people with keratoconus than in others (odds ratio of about 6.5), without being able on its own to prove that rubbing is the cause. This is one more reason to treat an allergy that returns every year, especially in children and teenagers.

Traditional home remedies: not the good idea they seem

Chamomile compresses, tea bags, rose water, milk: these traditional home remedies for itchy eyes have not been shown to work in any study, and none of them is sterile. Chamomile poses a particular problem. A 2025 Hungarian review (Rák) points out that it has no scientific validation in ophthalmology and that it carries two risks: allergic reactions, up to anaphylactic shock, against which the European Medicines Agency and ophthalmology guidelines warn, and microbial contamination. Applying a plant to an eye that itches because of an allergy risks adding a second allergy to the first. Cold and artificial tears, for their part, have been evaluated and do not carry this risk.

Corticosteroids, never without a prescription

A corticosteroid eye drop quickly calms the itching, which leads some people to reuse an old bottle. This is a mistake. These eye drops can raise the pressure in the eye without any symptom and seriously worsen an infection with the herpes virus. They are prescribed for a short period, with monitoring by the ophthalmologist.

When to seek a consultation, and when not to wait

An isolated itch, in both eyes, with no pain or drop in vision, can be managed for a few days with the measures above. Certain signs, however, mean you should see an ophthalmologist the same day or, failing that, go to the eye emergency department (see our page on ophthalmological emergencies):

• real pain in the eye, not just discomfort;
• vision that is getting worse and does not improve when you blink;
• discomfort in light, or one very red eye;
• wearing contact lenses with pain or redness;
• recent eye surgery;
• small blisters on the eyelid or forehead, on one side only.

You should also seek a consultation, without urgency, if the itch persists for more than two weeks despite these measures, if it returns every spring, or if the eyelids remain crusty. An allergy that keeps recurring benefits from long-term treatment, started before the season, rather than treatment only when symptoms flare. A slit-lamp examination shows what the patient cannot see: papillae under the upper eyelid in allergy, collarettes at the base of the lashes in Demodex blepharitis, or involvement of the cornea, visible after a drop of dye.

Dr Tourabaly sees patients in consultation at the Cachan and Paris 13 practices, and at the Cabinet ophtalmologique Sorbonne Saint-Michel (Paris 5th). Children are seen from the age of 3 at the Cachan practice.

Frequently asked questions

Consultations in Cachan, Paris 13 and at the Sorbonne Saint-Michel practice (Paris 5th) · Tel. +33 1 45 47 08 11

Scientific sources

• Dupuis P, et al. A contemporary look at allergic conjunctivitis. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2020. PMID 31993069
• Castillo M, et al. Topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilisers for treating seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015. PMID 26028608
• Bilkhu PS, et al. Effectiveness of nonpharmacologic treatments for acute seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Ophthalmology. 2014. PMID 24070810
• Trattler W, et al. The prevalence of Demodex blepharitis in US eye care clinic patients as determined by collarettes: a pathognomonic sign. Clin Ophthalmol. 2022. PMID 35449733
• Amin KA, Belsito DV. The aetiology of eyelid dermatitis: a 10-year retrospective analysis. Contact Dermatitis. 2006. PMID 17026693
• Baudouin C, et al. Preservatives in eyedrops: the good, the bad and the ugly. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2010. PMID 20302969
• Sahebjada S, et al. Eye rubbing in the aetiology of keratoconus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2021. PMID 33484296
• Rák T, Csutak A. Reevaluating the safety of chamomile poultices in ophthalmic care. Front Pharmacol. 2025. PMID 40421213
• Miyazaki D, et al. Japanese guidelines for allergic conjunctival diseases 2020. Allergol Int. 2020. PMID 33211650
• Rhee MK, et al. Demodex blepharitis: a comprehensive review of the disease, current management, and emerging therapies. Eye Contact Lens. 2023. PMID 37272680
• Mohamed-Noriega K, et al. Ocular rosacea: an updated review. Cornea. 2025. PMID 39808113
• Kenny SE, et al. Giant papillary conjunctivitis: a review. Ocul Surf. 2020. PMID 32339665

This article is intended for information purposes and does not replace a medical consultation. Indications, expected benefits and risks depend on each individual situation. For any question concerning your vision, consult an ophthalmologist.