It is quite common to have red eyes after a late night. However, if the redness does not disappear or keeps coming back with a burning sensation, watering, or pain, it surely should be consulted. A lot of people use random “whitening” drops from the chemist in an attempt to solve the problem; sometimes that works for a short period of time, sometimes it makes the situation worse.
Red eyes are the eye’s way of saying, “Something is irritating or inflaming me.” The “something” could be just dryness or allergies, or it could be something very serious like uveitis, acute glaucoma, or a corneal infection. It is very important to know the difference.
Red or bloodshot eyes are due to the small blood vessels that are located on the surface of the eye becoming inflamed or dilated. Sometimes it may be that the redness of the eyes is very intense and both eyes appear to be red; in other cases, only one eye may be red, and at times the redness may be only in a small portion. Along with the colour change, you may also have:
These symptoms, the suddenness of the redness and whether there is pain or loss of vision, help your eye specialist to locate the cause.
There are many reasons for red eyes. Some settle with simple care; others need quick treatment.
Dry eyes is a disorder where the eyes fail to secrete a sufficient amount of tears or the tears evaporate fast. This leads to irritation, burning, reddening and a gritty sensation. The use of the screen, ageing, environmental conditions, or some diseases can cause dry eyes.
Mild dry eye usually gets better with the use of lubricating drops, blinking regularly and reducing the continuation of screen time. However, a chronic dry eye condition might require a proper examination and specific medication, also, in some cases, the possibility of IPL therapy.
Inflammations or allergies of the membrane covering the white of the eye (conjunctiva) are among the most common reasons that people have red eyes. This is called eye flu/conjunctivitis.
Such symptoms may be frightening; however, in most instances, they are manageable with the right drops and by maintaining hygiene. A steroid drop, however, if used without the authority of a doctor, can worsen a simple red eye situation and turn it into a serious problem.
If your bloodshot eyes are also severely itchy, have a sticky discharge, and you keep rubbing them, then allergies may be responsible for most of the symptoms. Substances that cause allergic reactions to the eyes can be dust, pollen, animal hair, perfumes and even some medicines for the eyes or cosmetics.
Red eyes due to allergies get better after the irritant is removed and anti-allergy eye drops or tablets are used as directed. Do not rub it as this will aggravate the condition and, eventually, may even damage the cornea.
An inflamed, oily or infected eyelid that has made the eyes look red and feel irritated is a common occurrence. In most instances, people describe crusting on lashes, foamy tears, or a burning sensation upon waking up.
Lid hygiene, which should be done regularly (warm compresses and lid cleaning), supplemented with the right drops or ointments, is generally effective. In some cases, blepharitis coexists with dry eye.
It is really serious and only comparable to a few other situations is when the red eye is accompanied by:
In order to keep the vision, this situation has to be taken to the hospital immediately.
Here are some ways you can take care of red eyes at home. But keep in mind, if the redness of the eye or pain is consistent, even after doing these remedies, then you should consult an eye specialist.
At Save Sight Centre, red eyes don't get a "one-drop-for-all" treatment. The team works on your specific reason for red eyes and then plans the treatment.
Based on the reason for reddening, your treatment might consist of:
As the Save Sight Centre is both NABH and ISO accredited and caters to a wide range of eye conditions, you also get the advantage of experienced specialists and state-of-the-art equipment under one roof.
If your eyes have been red for some time, keep on flaring, or it is that the usual chemist drops which do not work, then certainly it is time to make an appointment for a proper check-up and thus give your eyes the attention they require.
No. Red eyes may be caused by different factors, such as dry eyes, allergic reaction, lack of sleep, injury, uveitis, glaucoma, etc. They are not only caused by infection. Therefore, it is risky to make a wild guess and apply medications on your own.
Yes, it can. Extensive use of mobiles, laptops or tablets for a long time without a break can end up in digital eye strain and dry eyes. In most cases, it leads to redness, burning and heaviness of the eyes.
Red eyes caused by viral or bacterial conjunctivitis (“eye flu”) are contagious. However, those caused by dry eye, allergy, uveitis or glaucoma are not. When infection is present, good hygiene – not sharing towels, pillows or cosmetics – helps to limit the spread.
No. Some over-the-counter drops work only for a short time as they shrink blood vessels temporarily or hide redness. If a steroid drop is misused, the infection can become worse, and the eye pressure can increase.
You should visit the doctor urgently if you find it difficult to use your eyes because of excruciating pain, you cannot see clearly, you see halos around the lights, or the eye is red once again with discharge. These symptoms can be related to acute glaucoma, keratitis or something that is most urgent and requires a doctor immediately.
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