Eye Irritation

[TexasDZ]

I have had an intermittent eye irritation for about a month.  It is ONLY in my right eye.  It feels like I have a hair or something on my eyeball.  It is bothersome to blink.  The strange thing is, it doesn't feel irritated when I have my contacts on, except at times towards the end of the day.  I wear disposable contacts all day everyday.  I have worn ACUVUE contacts for over a decade and never had a problem.  When I remove my contact, it is VERY irritated and is very bothersome to even blink.  Putting my contact back on is actually relief from the irritation.  Any ideas on what this could possibly be?

TXDZ

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

Yes, it's likely something on your lid is rubbing against your cornea. When you put your contact lens it it keeps the corneal from being scratched. The most likely causes would be an eyelash growing backwards against the eye (trichiasis), it could also be a plugged oil gland, small infected gland, small growth. Or it cold be a rough spot or erosion on the cornea.

You need to see an ophthalmologist Eye MD to check this out.

JCH III MD