General eye health

Sometimes patients develop non-specific eye symptoms or symptoms that could be caused by a wide range of ophthalmic conditions.

If you are experiencing any of the following general symptoms, our general ophthalmologists can diagnose and treat you in our rapid access clinic.

Red or pink eye

A red eye can resolve itself on it's own but it can also be a sign of an underlying condition such as conjunctivitis, a burst blood vessel, blepharitis or an ingrowing eyelash.

Itchy eye

Itchy eye could be caused by an allergy such as hay fever or an underlying condition such as dry eye or an infection.

Painful eye

Lots of eye conditions can be associated with eye pain, which could be described as burning, shooting, itching or aching. You should seek medical advice as to the cause of the eye pain.

A 'lump or bump' on the eyelid

Lumps or bumps are most frequently styes, cysts or chalazions but conditions such as blepharitis and, rarely, cancer can also cause lumps on the eyelid

Watery eyes

Watery eye - known as epiphora - is common in some environments such as in the cold or wind. However if watery eye persists, it could be caused by conditions such as blocked tear ducts, an allergy or conjunctivitis.

Dry eyes

There are many causes of dry eye and many people find that they suffer from dry eyes at some point in their lives. Counter-intuitively, watery eyes can be a sign of dry eyes. Seek medical advice if dry eye isn't resolving, is affecting your vision, or is causing you discomfort.

Swelling of the eyelid

Swelling of the eyelid is known as blepharitis. It can be caused by many underlying conditions. This could include an allergy, dry eyes, excessive rubbing from irritants to the eyes, and skin conditions such as rosacea or eczema.

Gritty or scratchy eyes

Sometimes eyes can feel scratchy or irritated, as if there is some sand or dust in your eye. This can be caused by a foreign body, but the sensation can also be caused by dry eyes, blepharitis, or other conditions.

A feeling of a foreign body in the eye

This can be caused by dirt, dust or other foreign bodies getting into the eye. However it can also be caused other conditions such a concretion (a calcium deposit on the underside of the eyelid), a scratch on the cornea, or blepharitis.