An ophthalmologist named the common reasons for the feeling of sand in the eyes

The sensation of "sand in the eyes" is a common complaint that patients present to ophthalmologists. At the same time, patients often describe symptoms such as burning, tearing, discomfort, foreign body sensation or dry eyes. On February 18, Svetlana Mirgorodskaya, MD, PhD, ophthalmologist, microsurgeon, laser surgeon of SM-Clinica, told Izvestia about the causes of these unpleasant sensations.

In particular, such symptoms can be caused by inflammation or irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye - conjunctiva, as well as the cornea. The causes of this condition vary, but one of the most common is dry eye syndrome.

"The development of this syndrome can be associated with changes in the composition of the lacrimal fluid, which, in turn, can be due to dysfunction of meibomian glands, hormonal changes, inflammation of the lacrimal glands, as well as a decrease in the frequency of blinking during prolonged visual load at a close distance (for example, when working at a computer, using a smartphone, reading, working with small details, etc.)," - said the ophthalmologist.

In addition, the reason for the development of dry eye syndrome is often contact lenses in violation of the rules of their use, such as irregular treatment or improper removal and putting on.

Also, according to the ophthalmologist, unpleasant sensations in the eyes can be caused by various infectious and allergic diseases, including conjunctivitis, blepharitis and keratitis. These conditions are accompanied by redness, itching, increased lacrimation, eye discharge and photophobia, in addition to sandy, burning and rubbery sensations.

"Sometimes such symptoms occur in lagophthalmos - a pathology in which the eyelids do not close completely during sleep or due to paresis, paralysis of the eyelid muscles. In addition, this condition is possible in the postoperative period, for example, after blepharoplasty," - said the specialist.

The doctor also noted that such symptoms can be caused by the side effects of certain medications, such as some eye drops, as well as antihistamines or hormones.

In addition, as noted by the doctor, often the cause of such sensations is mechanical damage to the eyeball or foreign particles entering the eye. However, most often the primary symptom is acute pain, tearing or lacrimation, and the sensation of sand in the eye manifests itself after.

"If a feeling of sand in the eyes appears, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist to determine the exact cause of discomfort and receive competent treatment," - summarized Mirgorodskaya.

Earlier, on November 25, 2024, Inna Varivoda, an ophthalmologist at INVITRO North-West, told Izvestia that omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc and vitamins A, C and E can help prevent problems such as yellow spot degeneration, cataracts, and twilight vision disorders. She also noted that long periods of gadget screen viewing can cause eye strain.