(Question) I keep having a foreign body sensation and dryness in my eyes. What could be the reason?

At some point, I started frequently feeling a foreign object sensation in my eyes. At first, I dismissed it, thinking it was simply due to fatigue, but as time passed, my eyes felt constantly gritty and dry. In particular, whenever I blink, it feels irritating, as if something has gotten into my eye.

 

Lately, I have been experiencing sudden tearing more often. Sometimes tears flow even when my eyes feel dry, so I am even more confused about why these symptoms are appearing.

 

Since the symptoms are bothersome, I have been trying various methods on my own. First, I purchased preservative-free artificial tears from a pharmacy and am using them several times a day. My eyes seem to get drier on days when I look at a computer or phone for a long time, so I consciously try to use them frequently.

 

I also purchased a separate thermal massage device and use it about once a day. I heard that warming the eyes is good, so I warm my eyes for about 10 to 15 minutes before going to bed.

 

I have been consistently taking lutein supplements in case they might help. I make sure to take one a day, and I have been continuing to take them for several weeks now because I heard they are good for eye health.

 

In addition to this, I am also trying eye exercises to prevent eye fatigue. For example, I practice methods such as closing and slowly opening my eyes, moving my gaze left, right, up, and down, and looking at distant objects whenever I have a spare moment throughout the day.

 

Even though I have been consistently trying various methods on my own, I still don't feel that the foreign body sensation or dryness in my eyes has significantly improved. So, I am a little worried whether it is simply due to fatigue or dryness, or if there is another cause.

 

Has anyone else experienced symptoms like mine, such as dry eyes, a foreign body sensation, and frequent tearing? I am curious whether these symptoms are signs of aging or if they are related to an eye condition. If you have had a similar experience, I would appreciate it if you could share what helped you, as well as any management methods or advice.