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There's one thing which can spoil my day outdoors. Those are the little flies which happen to fly directly into my eyes.

I work on a computer and my eyes are dry and over-sensitive. If such an insect falls into my eye, it results in intensive stinging, something making me unable to open my eyes. It is intensive even long after the insect is gone. I don't know if it is an allergic reaction or some fragments of insect body are left and the eye has not enough tears to quickly remove them.

Why do those flies fall into my eyes in the first place? They should have self-preservation instinct preventing them from that. Are they attracted to eye for some particular reason or it is just an accident? What is more important - how to distract those little insects? Can I do anything to do that? Maybe should I do something so that my eyelashes are thicker and longer?

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I haven't tried this personally, but how about goggles you would use in winter during snowstorms or for skiing? The vent holes on those are usually covered with a thin breathable foam so that snow powder doesn't get in. That should keep these flies out just as well. –  Olin Lathrop Jun 11 '13 at 15:01
You mean transparent googles? I have one that are very strong dark-glasses and it's too dark in them when I'm going in deep shadow –  Danubian Sailor Jun 11 '13 at 17:18
Yes, I mean clear transparent goggles. I have some I use for winter hiking in some conditions and they are clear. I think they were marketed as ski goggles. –  Olin Lathrop Jun 12 '13 at 13:17
Apparently these are "eye gnats" and they dive into your eyes on purpose because they eat your tears. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloropidae –  endolith Aug 16 at 19:11
"Repellents containing diethyl toluamide (DEET) provide temporary protection from eye gnats (Hall and Gerhardt 2009)" –  endolith Aug 17 at 0:23

3 Answers 3

up vote 7 down vote accepted

You are likely talking about eye flies. They feed on lachrymal secretion which your eyes produce.

When they get too intense, if hiking, I either walk faster and away from wet area or use a good head net. Peter Vacco have good information on flies and also happen to make really good head nets.

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+1 Head nets, definitely. Hiking in the west of Scotland these are essential for keeping midges off your face, and they work just as well for Chloropidae. –  Rory Alsop Jun 7 '13 at 8:50

I deal with this problem by wearing a large set of sunglasses. Mine were originally designed for snowstorms - large circles, which leave nearly no gap to the face, plus side inserts, to limit light and wind from the sides.

Work wonders, plus this solution frees the hands for energetic activities, like biking or wood hgathering.

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Possible steps to take: You could attempt to lure and trap them into a container filled with vinegar and a squirt of dish washing soap. Possible traps include: covering container with plastic foil and poking relatively small holes or making a funnel out of lightweight cardboard.

An alternative would be to take tobacco from a cigarette or a cigar, chew on it for a minute, then smear it all over your face (or at least area around your eyes). We used this often in military training, when you were outside for days and days, gleaming with sweat. Good thing insects hate the stinging smell of tobacco.

Or else try one of the industries brand new accomplishments: insect repellent sprays. You can find them almost anywhere, especially in stores for outdoors/camping. They look kinda like this.

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