Feels like there's something in my eye

This is gonna sound really trivial compared to the other threads on this forum but hear me out. This is costing me sleep and is causing me all kinds of stress.

About a year ago it felt like there was something in my eye. Not painful at all, but feels like there is something there. I of course tried to rub whatever it was out of my eye, tried washing my eyes out, blinking, everything, couldn't get rid of the feeling. It only happens at night too, I don't know whether it's to do with the position of my eye, or the lack of other sensory stimulation but at night it comes with a vengeance. Always my right eye. Feels like there's something underneath the lid. It's been like this ever since that time last year. I thought it might be something embedded in the surface of the eye, but the sensation moves sometimes from the bottom lid to the top lid, so I know whatever it is it isn't embedded in the surface. It takes me so long to get to sleep each night because of this feeling in my eye. I really don't understand it at all, surely it should have fallen out by now? I went to an optician and she took a look and said she could see nothing wrong. Has anyone ever had something like this before? What could it possibly be? Is there anything I can do about it on my own?

I don't want to go to my doctor, I'm sure if I go see him and tell him there's something in my eye he'll either laugh at me or be annoyed. But I get this sensation every night and I can never get a good night's sleep because of it, is it going to be like this for the rest of my life? I don't know what to do. Advice anyone??