What Can Cause Itchy Eyes

• Itchy eyes can be set off by things in your environment like dust, pollen, dander and mold. According to the National Institute of Health, the allergic reaction can cause your eyes to start running, itching and burning if you rub them. Itchy eyes, also known as allergic conjunctivitis, can be caused by other environmental factors like being around chemicals or smoke or in poor quality air.
  
  

Home Remedies for Itchy Eyes

• One way to reduce itchy eyes is to reduce the inflammation. You can do this with cold cloth compresses--placing a cold, damp cloth or a cold eye pack over your eyes for 10 minutes, and replacing it when it gets warm with another cold cloth or pack. Repeat this three or four times or until you feel relief. The coldness will reduce the swelling and help diminish the irritation significantly.
  
  

Over-the-Counter Remedies

• If your itchy eyes are caused by an allergic reaction, antihistamines and decongestants will help manage your symptoms and stop your eyes from becoming itchy and runny. You can also use eye drops to help reduce the inflammation caused by allergies or environmental pollutants.
  
  

Things to Avoid with Itchy Eyes

• If your eyes are itchy and watering, the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends avoiding wearing contact lenses during an attack, as the contact lenses may make it worse. They also recommend figuring out what specific allergens trigger your allergic reactions and take preventative measures; try to avoid the allergens or use antihistamines to reduce the severity of the symptoms.
  
  

When to Call a Doctor

• If your eyes continue to run even after you've tried some of these measures, you should contact your doctor to make sure your eyes are not itchy due to some other underlying condition. You may also need stronger medications or treatments than you can find over the counter to cure your itchy eyes, which a doctor can prescribe.