Gritty eyes are often the result of exposure to environmental irritants that influence tear evaporation. For example, patients may experience a “scratchy” feeling and irritation due to smoke or climate changes. You may feel like there is a particle of sand in the eye. In some cases, gritty eyes are associated with an underlying medical condition, such as blepharitis, dry eye, or Sjögren’s syndrome. Gritty eyes may also develop due to sunburned eyes.