Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsForeign ObjectDry EyesChalazion or StyeBlepharitisConjunctivitisCorneal InjuryCorneal UlcerEye HerpesFungal KeratitisPterygiumPingueculaSjögren’s DiseaseWhen to See a Provider

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Foreign Object

Dry Eyes

Chalazion or Stye

Blepharitis

Conjunctivitis

Corneal Injury

Corneal Ulcer

Eye Herpes

Fungal Keratitis

Pterygium

Pinguecula

Sjögren’s Disease

When to See a Provider

One minute, you’re fine, and the next, you’re sure something’s stuck in your eye. Along with this foreign body sensation, your eye may tear, and the irritation can turn to pain. You may have picked up an eyelash or dust, or there may not be anything there.

This article covers the potential causes, when to seek help, and how to find relief. Here, you’ll learn about the causes of foreign body sensations, from a speck on the surface to conditions like dry eyes, pink eye, or even corneal injury that may be at the root.

Viktor Cvetkovic / Getty Images

A person sits in car feeling something in their eye

When you feel something on the surface of your eye, this is known as a foreign body sensation. Sometimes, if you look closely in the mirror, you will see a speck lodged on the surface of your eye.

Treatment

Avoid rubbing your eye. In some cases, blinking will allow your eye to flush out whatever may be bothering you. If that doesn’t work, try carefully splashing the eye with water or flushing it with artificial tears. This can help even if you cannot see the particles that are irritating your eye.

Withdry eyes, you can feel a foreign body sensation even when nothing is there. The tear film usually allows the lid to glide over the eye. But if there aren’t enough tears, these surfaces rub together and can cause discomfort.

Using artificial tears can help lubricate the surface and counteract this in the short term. Treating the underlying causes of the dry eye can provide more permanent relief.

Depending on what’s causing the dry eye, you may be put on a medication, such as cyclosporine, to relieve this or taken off a medication you are taking for something else if that is the source. Instead, you may be switched to another medication.

If contact lens wear is the issue, you may be asked to limit the amount of time you wear them.

Achalazionis a lump on your eyelid due to a blocked oil gland. The oil from the gland usually keeps the eye’s surface from feeling irritated.Astyeis a lump that usually occurs along the base of the eyelashes from an infection to an eyelash root, which can likewise cause you to feel as if you have something in your eye.

To treat a chalazion or stye, place a moist, warm compress on the lid several times a day.The warmth of the compress can thin the oil in the gland so it can flow better. The warmth may also bring more blood flow to the area to reduce inflammation.

In some cases, your eye specialist may recommend a steroid injection or surgical draining of the chalazion.

With a stye, your eye specialist may also prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.Do not press on or try to “pop” a stye or chalazion.

Blepharitisis inflammation of the eyelids. It can be due to bacteria or a blocked oil gland. Feeling like you have something in your eye is a common symptom.Other symptoms include redness, itchiness, burning, and crusts on the eyelids or eyelashes.

Pink eye often resolves on its own within a week or so. You may be able to reduce symptoms with the aid of an over-the-counter (OTC) medication such as Advil (ibuprofen). Using a warm compress or lubricating artificial tears may also help soothe discomfort.

If it doesn’t resolve and you have bacterial pink eye, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotic drops. There is no prescription medication for the viral form.

If the clear dome at the front of your eye (cornea) is injured, it can feel like something is stuck in it, although nothing is present. You may have scratched it, introduced a chemical to the eye, or have an object lodged in it.

In the case of a chemical injury, you should immediately begin flushing your eye with water, continue for at least 15 minutes, and then have someone take you to an emergency room to be examined.

If something is stuck in your eye, do not try to remove it. You should instead immediately contact an ophthalmologist to remove it.After an injury, your eye may be patched for a while. Your ophthalmologist may also prescribe eye drops and pain while this heals.

Acorneal ulceris an open sore or erosion on the cornea. It can make it feel as if something is trapped in your eye. Causes of a corneal ulcer include irritation from contact lens use, an infection, or a complication after an injury.

Treatment for a corneal ulcer will depend on what is at the root. Your ophthalmologist may prescribe medications to fight bacteria, fungi, or the herpes virus. Also, you may be given corticosteroid drops to reduce inflammation.

Many people have the herpes simplex virus (HSV) lying dormant in their facial nerves. It can emerge seemingly out of nowhere, developing into anything from a cold sore to aneye ulcer. If there is an eye ulcer, there may also be a foreign body sensation associated with it and an accompanying foreign body sensation.

Those with fungalkeratitis(inflammation of the cornea) usually have had an eye injury in which they came in contact with vegetation.In addition to feeling like something is in the eye, your vision may be reduced. The eye may be red, and there may be discharge and sensitivity to light.

Those with a fungal keratitis infection will be given topical and systemic antifungal medication. The infection may also be managed with anti-inflammatory steroid medication. An eye specialist may also scrape away affected tissue. It may also become necessary to remove the infection surgically.

Apterygiumis a fleshy bump on the conjunctiva. This can make it feel as if there is something in your eye.

To help soothe the symptoms of the pterygium, such as the foreign body sensation, artificial tears may be prescribed to lubricate the surface. If the lesion begins to get bigger, it may have to be surgically removed.

Apingueculais a raised, yellowish growth on the white of the eye that typically begins near the corner of the eye, usually on the nasal side.This can leave you feeling as if there is something in your eye.

Your eye specialist may prescribe drops to soothe the eye and eliminate the foreign body sensation to help reduce irritation. In addition, steroids may be given to reduce redness and swelling.

WithSjögren’s disease, your immune system attacks the glands that allow your eyes to remain moist.The resulting dry eye can make it feel as if there is as the surfaces rub together.

To help manage Sjögren’s disease, your ophthalmologist will treat it like dry eye, using artificial tears and medications like cyclosporine and steroids to suppress inflammation. They may give Salagen (pilocarpine) to help you produce more saliva and tears.

Also, they may put tiny plugs in the eye to block the tear ducts and keep the tears on the surface where they can help the lids glide better.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

See a healthcare provider immediately for any object lodged in the eye. The sensation of something in your eye is often not linked to an actual object in the eye, but sometimes, this is the cause. If your eye is not improving, see an eye specialist who can take a closer look.

Summary

18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhavsar AR.Why does it feel like something is rubbing against my eye when I blink?American Academy of Ophthalmology. January 19, 2022.Mount Sinai.Eye – foreign object in.UCI Gavin Herbert Institute.Dry eyes.American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.Stye/chalazion.Boyd K.What is the difference between a stye and a chalazion? Causes, symptoms and treatment. American Academy of Ophthalmology. June 14, 2023.National Eye Institute.Blepharitis. November 15, 2023.Mount Sinai.Conjunctivitis.Gudgel DT.Quick home remedies for pink eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology. April 27, 2023.Penn Medicine.Eye corneal injuries.MedlinePlus.Corneal ulcers and infections. August 22, 2022.Penn Medicine.Corneal ulcer.Cedars-Sinai.Herpes eye disease.Moorfields Eye Hospital.Herpes simplex virus keratitis.Columbia Ophthalmology.Fungal keratitis.Kim KW, Kim JC.Current approaches and future directions in the management of pterygium.Int J Ophthalmol. 2018;11(5):709–711. doi:10.18240/ijo.2018.05.01Boyd K.What is a pinguecula and a pterygium (surfer’s eye). American Academy of Ophthalmology. May 10, 2024.Both T, Dalm VA, Van Hagen PM, Van Haele PL.Reviewing primary Sjögren’s syndrome: beyond the dryness - from pathophysiology to diagnosis and treatment.Int J Med Sci.2017;14(3):191-200. doi:10.7150/ijms.17718NHS.Treatment Sjogrens syndrome. April 21, 2020.

18 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhavsar AR.Why does it feel like something is rubbing against my eye when I blink?American Academy of Ophthalmology. January 19, 2022.Mount Sinai.Eye – foreign object in.UCI Gavin Herbert Institute.Dry eyes.American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.Stye/chalazion.Boyd K.What is the difference between a stye and a chalazion? Causes, symptoms and treatment. American Academy of Ophthalmology. June 14, 2023.National Eye Institute.Blepharitis. November 15, 2023.Mount Sinai.Conjunctivitis.Gudgel DT.Quick home remedies for pink eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology. April 27, 2023.Penn Medicine.Eye corneal injuries.MedlinePlus.Corneal ulcers and infections. August 22, 2022.Penn Medicine.Corneal ulcer.Cedars-Sinai.Herpes eye disease.Moorfields Eye Hospital.Herpes simplex virus keratitis.Columbia Ophthalmology.Fungal keratitis.Kim KW, Kim JC.Current approaches and future directions in the management of pterygium.Int J Ophthalmol. 2018;11(5):709–711. doi:10.18240/ijo.2018.05.01Boyd K.What is a pinguecula and a pterygium (surfer’s eye). American Academy of Ophthalmology. May 10, 2024.Both T, Dalm VA, Van Hagen PM, Van Haele PL.Reviewing primary Sjögren’s syndrome: beyond the dryness - from pathophysiology to diagnosis and treatment.Int J Med Sci.2017;14(3):191-200. doi:10.7150/ijms.17718NHS.Treatment Sjogrens syndrome. April 21, 2020.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Bhavsar AR.Why does it feel like something is rubbing against my eye when I blink?American Academy of Ophthalmology. January 19, 2022.Mount Sinai.Eye – foreign object in.UCI Gavin Herbert Institute.Dry eyes.American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.Stye/chalazion.Boyd K.What is the difference between a stye and a chalazion? Causes, symptoms and treatment. American Academy of Ophthalmology. June 14, 2023.National Eye Institute.Blepharitis. November 15, 2023.Mount Sinai.Conjunctivitis.Gudgel DT.Quick home remedies for pink eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology. April 27, 2023.Penn Medicine.Eye corneal injuries.MedlinePlus.Corneal ulcers and infections. August 22, 2022.Penn Medicine.Corneal ulcer.Cedars-Sinai.Herpes eye disease.Moorfields Eye Hospital.Herpes simplex virus keratitis.Columbia Ophthalmology.Fungal keratitis.Kim KW, Kim JC.Current approaches and future directions in the management of pterygium.Int J Ophthalmol. 2018;11(5):709–711. doi:10.18240/ijo.2018.05.01Boyd K.What is a pinguecula and a pterygium (surfer’s eye). American Academy of Ophthalmology. May 10, 2024.Both T, Dalm VA, Van Hagen PM, Van Haele PL.Reviewing primary Sjögren’s syndrome: beyond the dryness - from pathophysiology to diagnosis and treatment.Int J Med Sci.2017;14(3):191-200. doi:10.7150/ijms.17718NHS.Treatment Sjogrens syndrome. April 21, 2020.

Bhavsar AR.Why does it feel like something is rubbing against my eye when I blink?American Academy of Ophthalmology. January 19, 2022.

Mount Sinai.Eye – foreign object in.

UCI Gavin Herbert Institute.Dry eyes.

American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.Stye/chalazion.

Boyd K.What is the difference between a stye and a chalazion? Causes, symptoms and treatment. American Academy of Ophthalmology. June 14, 2023.

National Eye Institute.Blepharitis. November 15, 2023.

Mount Sinai.Conjunctivitis.

Gudgel DT.Quick home remedies for pink eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology. April 27, 2023.

Penn Medicine.Eye corneal injuries.

MedlinePlus.Corneal ulcers and infections. August 22, 2022.

Penn Medicine.Corneal ulcer.

Cedars-Sinai.Herpes eye disease.

Moorfields Eye Hospital.Herpes simplex virus keratitis.

Columbia Ophthalmology.Fungal keratitis.

Kim KW, Kim JC.Current approaches and future directions in the management of pterygium.Int J Ophthalmol. 2018;11(5):709–711. doi:10.18240/ijo.2018.05.01

Boyd K.What is a pinguecula and a pterygium (surfer’s eye). American Academy of Ophthalmology. May 10, 2024.

Both T, Dalm VA, Van Hagen PM, Van Haele PL.Reviewing primary Sjögren’s syndrome: beyond the dryness - from pathophysiology to diagnosis and treatment.Int J Med Sci.2017;14(3):191-200. doi:10.7150/ijms.17718

NHS.Treatment Sjogrens syndrome. April 21, 2020.

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