Eyes redded: Red and Bloodshot Eyes: Common Causes, Treatment

Red and Bloodshot Eyes: Common Causes, Treatment

Written by Tony Rehagen

What Are Red Eyes?

Red eyes happen when the tiny blood vessels on the surface of the whites of your eyes expand, turning the whites of one or both eyes a pink or reddish tint.

What Causes Red Eyes?

A number of things can make your eyes red. Some of the most common causes are:

Allergies

Outdoor triggers include pollen from grasses and trees. Indoor ones include pet dander, dust, and mold. In these cases, your eyes may also:

  • Itch
  • Burn
  • Tear up

You could also have nasal allergy symptoms, such as sneezing and a stuffy nose.

Dry eye

Sometimes, your tears don’t have the texture they should. They might evaporate too fast. And sometimes, your eye can’t make tears at all. This condition is called dry eye. It can cause pain, ulcers on your cornea, or, in rare cases, some vision loss.

Other symptoms of dry eye include:

  • A gritty feeling
  • A burning feeling
  • Blurry vision
  • Heavy eyelids
  • Not being able to cry
  • Eye fatigue
  • Excess tears, at times when your eyes aren’t dry
  • A stringy discharge
  • Discomfort with contact lenses

Pinkeye

Also known as conjunctivitis, pinkeye is when the lining of your eyelid and the white of your eye become inflamed. It might happen because of a virus or bacteria. It’s very common, especially among children, and is usually very contagious. If you think you have pinkeye, see your doctor, wash your hands often, and don’t rub your eyes.

Other symptoms include:

  • More tears than usual
  • Eyes that burn, itch, or feel gritty
  • A white, yellow, or green discharge from your eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • A crust on your eyelid or eyelashes

Broken blood vessels

This happens when tiny blood vessels break beneath the surface of your eye. The blood is trapped and makes the white of your eye turn bright red. It can be caused by a strong sneeze, heavy lifting, hard vomiting, or rubbing your eye a little too hard. You may be more likely to have broken blood vessels if you take blood-thinning medication, even a baby aspirin. Broken blood vessels can look scary but are generally harmless. There’s usually no pain.

Broken blood vessels cause other symptoms like:

  • A bright red area on your eye along with the general redness
  • A scratchy feeling

Glaucoma

Fluid can build up in the front part of your eye. This causes pressure and can damage your optic nerve. The condition is called glaucoma. It’s the leading cause of blindness for people 60 and over.

Glaucoma is usually painless. An unusual form of acute glaucoma can cause symptoms such as:

  • Severe pain in your eye
  • A headache
  • Decreased or blurred vision
  • Rainbows or halos in your vision
  • Nausea and vomiting

Other causes

Other causes of red eyes include things in the world around you, such as:

  • Chlorine from swimming pools
  • Dust
  • Cigarette smoke
  • Perfume

Also, eye conditions like:

  • A scratch, infection, or ulcer on your cornea
  • Cornea inflammation (keratitis)
  • Inflammation of the colored part of your eye (iritis), the middle layer of your eye (uveitis), the white part of your eye (scleritis), or the membrane covering the white part of your eye (episcleritis)
  • Complications from eye surgery or contact lens use

Over-the-counter eyedrops that target redness can actually make the problem worse. Your eyes might come to depend on the drops and be even redder after they wear off. They can also dry out your eyes and hide symptoms of health problems.

How to Treat Red Eyes

Red eyes are usually nothing to worry about, as long as they don’t happen often and don’t last long. You might find brief relief in over-the-counter artificial tears that wash and moisten your eyes.

Decongestants and antihistamines can help with itchiness and redness because of allergies. They can sometimes make your eyes feel dry, though, so you should try to also use a lubricating artificial teardrop. If you have a bacterial infection, you might need to take antibiotics.

Call your doctor if you have red eyes along with:

  • A sudden change in vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Sudden halos around lights
  • A severe headache, eye pain, or fever
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Something in your eye
  • Swelling
  • Not being able to keep the eye open

 

20 Causes, Symptoms, Complications, and More

Now let’s explore the different causes of eye redness. For each one, we’ll cover what it is, what causes it, and any other additional symptoms to be aware of.

Allergies

Allergies can affect the eyes, leading them to become red and swollen. Other symptoms that you may experience include:

  • itching
  • a burning sensation
  • increased tearing

Eye allergy symptoms can also be accompanied by other allergy symptoms, such as sneezing and an itchy, running nose.

Some common allergy triggers include:

  • pollen
  • dust mites
  • mold
  • pet dander
  • irritants like cigarette smoke or air pollution

Dry eyes

Tears are made by small glands above the eyes. They work to help protect and lubricate the eyes. You have dry eyes when your eyes don’t produce enough tears.

Dry eyes are very common, with studies estimating a prevalence rate of between 5 to 50 percent. The condition is more likely to occur in women, people over the age of 50, and individuals who wear contact lenses.

If you have dry eyes, you may notice that your eyes appear red. Other symptoms include:

  • a stinging, scratchy, or burning sensation
  • feeling like something is in your eye
  • sensitivity to light
  • blurred vision (that comes and goes, especially when reading)

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis happens when the membrane covering the insides of your eyelids and the white part of your eye, called the conjunctiva, becomes inflamed. This condition is also called pink eye.

Inflammation of the conjunctiva causes the whites of your eyes to appear pink or red in color. Some other symptoms that may occur with conjunctivitis are:

  • itching
  • a burning sensation
  • feeling like something is in your eye
  • increased tearing
  • discharge of mucus or pus, which can lead to crusting of the eyelids or eyelashes

Conjunctivitis can have a variety of causes, including:

  • viral infections, such as those due to adenoviruses, measles, or COVID-19
  • bacterial infections that can be caused by species like Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Haemophilus influenzae
  • allergies to things like pollen, molds, and pet dander
  • environmental irritants like smoke or chemical fumes

Conjunctivitis due to a viral or bacterial infection is very contagious. That means that it can easily be spread from one person to another.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis is when your eyelids become inflamed. It can cause your eyelids or eyes to appear red and swollen.

Some additional symptoms of blepharitis are:

  • itching
  • a burning or stinging sensation
  • feeling like something is in your eye
  • increased tearing
  • crusty eyelids in the morning
  • sensitivity to light

It’s also possible for blepharitis to cause more serious symptoms, particularly if not managed. These can include things like loss of eyelashes, eyelashes that grow in the wrong location, or blurred vision.

Blepharitis can happen if you have high amounts of bacteria on your eyelids. The condition may also develop if oil glands in your eyelids become clogged. A mite infestation can also cause blepharitis in rare cases.

Uveitis

Uveitis is inflammation that happens in the middle part of your eye, called the uvea. The uvea is an area found between the white of your eye and your retina.

Inflammation due to uveitis can lead to eye redness. Additional symptoms to look out for are:

  • blurred vision
  • eye pain
  • eye floaters
  • sensitivity to light

There are a few known causes of uveitis, including:

  • autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis
  • certain types of infections, including syphilis, shingles, and toxoplasmosis
  • some types of cancers like lymphoma
  • the herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1

Getting timely treatment for uveitis is vital. This is because the condition can lead to vision loss if not managed.

Scleritis

Scleritis is when inflammation affects the white of your eye, which is called the sclera. When this occurs, the white of your eye can become red and swollen. Additional symptoms can be:

  • increased tearing
  • eye tenderness or pain
  • blurred vision
  • sensitivity to light
  • pain in the head, face, or jaw
  • decreased vision

The development of scleritis is often associated with an autoimmune disease. Examples include:

  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • lupus
  • Sjögren’s syndrome
  • inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease

It’s also possible for scleritis to happen due to an injury to the eye or an eye infection.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage

Sometimes, a blood vessel in an eye can break, leaking blood on the surface of your eye This is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage.

The condition may look serious, but it’s often benign and goes away on its own in 1 to 2 weeks. Typically, the redness in the affected eye is the only symptom, although in some cases, your eye may feel slightly irritated.

However, if you have subconjunctival hemorrhage and your vision is decreased, talk with a doctor.

Some potential causes of subconjunctival hemorrhage are:

  • rubbing your eyes too hard
  • intense coughing or sneezing
  • vomiting
  • eye injury

You may be more prone to this condition if you’re taking blood thinners or have diabetes or hypertension.

Eyelid stye

A stye is a blockage of the meibomian gland in the eye that causes inflammation. It can affect the outside or inside of either your upper or lower eyelid.

If you have a stye, the area at the edge of your eyelid can become red, swollen, and painful. The affected area may fill with meibum (due to the blocked gland) and can potentially grow to the size of a pea.

Angle-closure glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition where the pressure in your eye increases due to the eye producing more fluid than the normal rate. This can damage your optic nerve, potentially leading to vision loss.

There are different types of glaucoma. In one type, called angle-closure glaucoma, a rapid increase in eye pressure occurs. You may also see this type of glaucoma called closed-angle glaucoma or narrow-angle glaucoma.

The symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma come on suddenly and may include eye redness. Other symptoms to be aware of are:

  • intense pain in your eye
  • seeing rainbow-colored rings or halos
  • blurred vision
  • decreased vision
  • headache
  • nausea or vomiting

Angle-closure glaucoma happens when your iris blocks the area through which eye fluid drains. Fluid begins building up in the eye, leading to a rapid increase in eye pressure. This type of glaucoma is an emergency and can lead to vision loss if you don’t seek treatment right away.

Corneal ulcers

Corneal ulcers are ulcers, or sores, that affect the outer part of your eye, which is called the cornea. This condition is also called keratitis.

In addition to red eyes, other symptoms of a corneal ulcer are:

  • severe eye pain
  • feeling like something is in your eye
  • increased tearing
  • discharge of pus
  • blurred vision
  • sensitivity to light
  • eyelid swelling

There are several things that can cause corneal ulcers to develop:

  • bacteria
  • viruses, particularly herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus
  • fungi
  • acanthamoeba, a type of parasitic infection
  • dry eyes
  • sleeping in contact lenses
  • showering or swimming in contact lenses, or using well water to clean contacts
  • injury to the cornea, such as a scratch, cut, or burn
  • Bell’s palsy and other disorders affecting the eyelid’s ability to close

It’s important to seek timely medical attention if you have symptoms of a corneal ulcer. If not managed, this condition can permanently damage your vision.

Injury

Sustaining an injury that affects your eye may cause it to become red, often due to irritation or bleeding. Other symptoms that may occur with an eye injury are:

  • eye pain
  • swelling of the eye or the surrounding area
  • trouble moving your eye
  • decreased vision
  • different pupil sizes

A few examples of common sources of eye injuries include:

  • foreign objects that get into your eye
  • physical trauma, such as sustaining a blow or an accident
  • exposure to chemicals

Contact lens wear

Individuals who wear contact lenses have to touch their eyes and the surrounding area more often than those who don’t wear contact lenses. As such, they’re at an increased risk of eye redness due to a variety of factors. Some of these include:

  • scratches or scrapes on the cornea
  • eye allergies
  • eye infections
  • corneal ulcers, which can happen from sleeping in contact lenses
  • dry eyes
  • neovascularization, when new blood vessel grow on the cornea
  • giant papillary conjunctivitis, a type of conjunctivitis in which bumps develop under your eyelid
  • contact lens-induced acute red eye (CLARE), an inflammatory condition associated with wearing contacts overnight

In addition to eye redness, some symptoms of complications related to contact lenses are:

  • eye pain
  • increased tearing
  • blurry vision
  • sensitivity to light

If you wear contact lenses and have any of the symptoms above, remove your contacts for a few hours. If your symptoms continue or become worse, contact an eye doctor.

Additional causes of eye redness

In addition to the causes discussed above, some further causes of eye redness include:

  • use of alcohol or cannabis
  • photokeratitis, which is eye irritation that can happen due to sun exposure
  • ocular rosacea, a skin condition that most often affects the cheeks, nose, or forehead but can also affect your eyes
  • trichiasis, in which eyelashes grow inward and irritate the eye
  • cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection that can affect the eyelid or eye socket
  • endophthalmitis, an infection of the tissues on the inside of your eye
  • onchocerciasis, a parasitic infection caused by a roundworm
  • retinoblastoma, a type of cancer that affects the eye

If your eye redness is caused by a milder condition such as allergies, conjunctivitis, or blepharitis, you may be able to treat your symptoms at home. Some things that you can do include:

  • Apply a cool compress. A cool compress on your closed eyes a few times each day can help reduce symptoms like redness and swelling.
  • Take over-the-counter (OTC) medications. OTC antihistamines or decongestants may help reduce eye redness. Medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen are also available over the counter and can ease discomfort or swelling.
  • Try artificial tears. Artificial tears are available over the counter and can be used to help alleviate red eyes and wash away irritants. Keeping them in the refrigerator can provide additional relief.
  • Avoid irritants. While you’re recovering, try to reduce your contact with irritants in your environment, such as pollen, smoke, or chemical fumes.
  • Wash your hands. Make sure to wash your hands frequently. Avoid touching your eyes or the surrounding area if your hands aren’t clean.
  • Avoid makeup or contacts. Aim to avoid wearing makeup or contacts until your symptoms have gone away.
  • Limit screen time. Spending too much time in front of a computer, TV, or phone screen can cause eyestrain and dry eyes, so try to reduce your screen time.

If your eye redness is accompanied by pain or changes in vision, talk with a doctor. They will ask you about your symptoms, your current health conditions, and problems that may have caused irritation to your eye. They may also examine your eye.

Depending on your diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe treatment that helps to alleviate your symptoms. This would likely include things like:

  • steroid eye drops or tablets
  • antimicrobial medications, which may include eye drops, tablets, or a topical medication that you apply near your eye
  • prescription eye drops for specific conditions like allergies, dry eye, or glaucoma
  • a laser procedure (in the case of acute angle-closure)

Most causes of eye redness won’t result in serious complications.

However, if you have a condition that causes vision changes, this may affect your ability to perform tasks such as cooking or driving. Vision impairments in these areas can result in accidental injury.

Some eye conditions that aren’t treated may also result in permanent damage to the eye, which can lead to vision loss. Examples of such conditions include eye infections, angle-closure glaucoma, and eye injuries.

Most causes of eye redness don’t warrant emergency medical attention.

If you experience eye redness, make an appointment to see a doctor if:

  • your symptoms last longer than 1 week
  • you experience changes in your vision
  • you experience pain in your eye
  • you become sensitive to light
  • you have discharge from one or both of your eyes
  • you take medications that thin your blood, such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)

Even though most causes of eye redness aren’t severe, seek emergency medical attention if:

  • your eye is red after trauma or injury
  • you have a headache and have blurry vision
  • you begin seeing white rings, or halos, around lights
  • you experience nausea and vomiting

Most cases of eye redness can be prevented by using proper hygiene and avoiding irritants that can cause redness.

Follow these tips to prevent eye redness:

  • Wash your hands frequently, particularly if you’re exposed to someone who has an eye infection.
  • Remove all makeup from your eyes each day.
  • Don’t wear contact lenses longer than recommended or while swimming.
  • Don’t wear contact lenses overnight.
  • Clean your contact lenses regularly.
  • Avoid activities that can cause eyestrain.
  • Avoid contact with substances that can cause your eyes to become irritated. If exposure does occur, flush out your eye immediately with eyewash or water if eyewash isn’t available.

Causes of eye redness, how to choose eye drops for redness.

By Gary Heiting



  1. Brief information
  2. Causes
  3. What to do

What is eye redness?

Redness of the eyes (or red eyes) is a condition in which the white of the eye (sclera) is reddened or «bloodshot. »

The appearance of a reddened eye can vary greatly. It may look like there are a few short pink or red lines on the sclera, or the entire sclera may look diffuse pink or red.

Redness may appear in one or both eyes, and may be associated with several symptoms, such as:

In some cases, bloodshot eyes may not have any symptoms other than redness.

Reddened or bloodshot eyes are very common and can be due to various causes. Eye redness
usually a symptom of other eye conditions that may be benign or
serious.

What causes red eyes?

Eye redness is caused by dilation of tiny blood vessels located between the sclera and the overlying clear conjunctiva of the eye. These tiny blood vessels (many of which are usually invisible) can swell due to environmental or lifestyle reasons or specific eye problems.

Eye redness is usually caused by allergies, eye fatigue, excessive contact lens wear, or common eye infections such as conjunctivitis. However, eye redness can sometimes signal a more serious eye condition or disease, such as uveitis or glaucoma.

Eye redness occurs when blood vessels on the surface of the eye dilate.

Environmental causes of reddened, blood poured by blood:

  • Allergens transferred by air (allergies before our eyes)

  • Air pollution

  • smoke (fire, passive smoking, etc.)

  • Dry air (dry climate, aircraft cabin, office space, etc.)

  • Dust

  • Airborne vapors (gasoline, solvents, etc.)

  • Exposure to chemicals (chlorine in swimming pools, etc.) blocking UV radiation)

Common eye conditions that cause eye redness include:

  • Dry eyes

  • Eye allergies

  • conjunctivitis

  • Wearing contact lenses

  • Digital Voltage Eye

to serious eye diseases, include:

  • Eye infections

    9000

    injury or damage

  • Recent eye surgery (LASIK, cosmetic eye surgery, etc. )

  • Uveitis

  • Acute

  • Corneal ulcer

Lifestyle factors can also contribute to the risk of eye redness. For example, smoking (tobacco or marijuana) can definitely cause red eyes, as can heavy drinking. Constant use of digital devices and insufficient sleep are other lifestyle-related causes of red eyes.

How to cure reddened eyes

Because red eyes can have a variety of causes (some are serious and require immediate attention), if you have red, bloodshot eyes, you should see an optometrist immediately—especially if the redness comes on suddenly and is due to discomfort or blurred vision .

If there is currently no ophthalmologist nearby, click here to find an ophthalmologist nearby.

Also, consult your optometrist before using eye drops to «discolor red eyes». These drops may contain vasoconstrictor drugs that constrict blood vessels. Constriction of the blood vessels in the sclera will make the eyes appear whiter, but if you use the drops to discolor reddened eyes frequently over a period of time, you may need to use them more frequently to avoid redness in the eyes. And if you stop using the drops, the redness of the eyes may increase.

To determine the best and safest way to treat reddened eyes, consult an optometrist to determine the cause of bloodshot eyes and learn the most effective treatment options.

Remove your contact lenses (if you wear them) before visiting the optometrist and put on glasses instead. And bring them with you to your appointment so the optometrist can determine if contact lenses are causing your eyes to redden.

You can also moisten your eyes frequently with preservative-free lubricating eye drops before visiting an ophthalmologist.

Page published on Monday, November 16, 2020

Red eyes: why, what to do? Treatment in adults, child

Red eyes — the main symptom that characterizes not one, but several eye diseases . All these diseases are diverse and have completely different causes, but one symptom unites them — redness of the eyes.

1. What is red eye

2. Why are the eyes red

4. Red eyes — 9 reasons0149

5. What to do with «red eyes»

1. What is «red eye»

In ophthalmology, the phenomenon when red eyes are observed is called «Red Eye Syndrome». It includes all diseases characterized by redness.

Eye redness often combines with other eye symptoms that help to correctly diagnose and carry out successful treatment: swelling of the eyelids, lacrimation, soreness, visual impairment.

2 . Why the eyes are red

The redness of the eyes that we observe can only occur due to:
1. Expansion of the vessels of the conjunctiva of the sclera (white of the eye) — 97% of all causes of red eyes
2. Rupture of the vessels of the conjunctiva — 3% of red eyes

In other words, if you observe red eyes in yourself, then the blood vessels of the conjunctiva of the sclera (whites of the eyes) are dilated or the vessel burst and a local hemorrhage occurred in the conjunctiva. This applies to redness of the eyes in both adults and children.

3. Red eyes — causes

The causes of vasodilatation or vessel rupture are very diverse and we will try to systematize them and understand them.

The main causes of vasodilation and redness of the eyes are:

1) Eye irritation due to environmental factors

2) Inflammatory process in the eyes

3) Inflammatory process in the body

4) Injury to the conjunctiva, burns

5) Increased blood pressure

6) Allergic reaction

7) Uncorrected refractive error

8) Violation of the closing of the eyelids during sleep

The causes that can lead to hemorrhage and redness of the eyes are limited and above all:

9) Increased blood pressure

10) Violation of the vascular wall, atherosclerosis

11) Injury

1) The most common cause of red eyes is irritation of the conjunctiva by external factors . These can be:

  • dry indoor air, which leads to «Dry Eye Syndrome» with reddening of the whites of the eyes. In such cases, patients also complain of red dry eyes. Violation of the tear film requires its restoration, moisturizing drops, any drops of artificial tears, such as Systein, Natural Tears, Lakrisin, Lakrisifi, Khilozar-chest ® , can help. It is necessary to artificially humidify the air in the room in winter;
  • dusty air in a room or in a city after emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere. Vizine can help, but clean air is ideal, it is recommended to use air purifiers in polluted rooms;
  • contact lens irritation. Red eyes after the lenses indicate their incorrect selection, infection of the lens, or that the cornea under the lens is suffocating and lacks oxygen from the air. This usually happens with any extended wear lenses. To get rid of red eyes after lenses, we recommend one-day lenses or completely get rid of lenses with the help of laser correction, everyone who wears lenses for more than 15 years comes to this conclusion;
  • being in a smoky room, tobacco smoke always irritates the conjunctiva. One recommendation is to avoid smoky areas;
  • eye irritation chlorine after swimming . Very often, the eyes turn red after the pool, but this is not scary and the redness will pass by itself in a day or two in the absence of an irritant. « Vizin » can speed up the process. Vizin — constricts blood vessels and thereby reduces redness. At the same time, Vizin does not affect the very cause of redness of the eyes. You can also apply « Then bradex «» or « Dexamethasone «, which affect inflammatory mediators and speed up the process of restoring normal eye color; If redness of the eyes after the pool is accompanied by pain and blepharospasm (squinting of the eyes), then it is necessary to show the eyes to the optometrist, since In addition to the usual irritation with chlorine, corneal burns are possible.This is very rare, but it does happen.

2) Any inflammatory processes in the eye , as a rule, are accompanied by redness of the eyes. These can be:

  • viral or bacterial conjunctivitis, the latter differ, in addition to redness, in abundant discharge of different consistency. With bacterial conjunctivitis, the eyelashes stick together, especially in the morning the eyes stick together. Viral conjunctivitis can only externally change the whites of the eyes, which become red. But, both are always accompanied by red eyes. First one eye turns red, then both. In addition to redness, conjunctivitis is usually accompanied by a feeling of «burning» or «sand in the eyes.» The cause of inflammatory redness of the eyes requires antibacterial or antiviral treatment. Eye drops such as «9» can help.0143 Tobradex «, « Tobrex «, « Dexamethasone «, « Levomycetin «, « Albucid «, « Levofloxacin «, «Ophthalmoferon» 090 140
  • keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) also leads to reddening of the eyes and is also accompanied by severe pain when touching the eye. Treatment of red eyes with keratitis requires treatment in an ophthalmological hospital;
  • uvititis (inflammation of the choroid), and endofalmitis (inflammation of the vitreous body) are always accompanied by reddening of the eyes of varying intensity. A distinctive feature of redness during inflammation of the internal membranes is a combination of redness and pain. Treatment of red eyes with keratitis always requires treatment in an ophthalmological hospital;


3) Very often, redness of the eyes is accompanied by local inflammatory processes outside the eye : sinusitis (inflammation of the nasal sinuses), sinusitis (runny nose), otitis and even inflammatory processes in the teeth are often accompanied by «red eyes». This is due to a single blood supply to the eyes and other parts of the head, the vessels anastomose (connect) to each other and infection, for example, of the teeth passes into the eye vessels, causing them to redden.
A general infection in the body, viral or bacterial, accompanied by an increase in body temperature, can also cause redness of the eyes, since due to the general blood supply of the body, the infection also enters the vessels of the eye. Often, with common infections, we observe a red eye in combination with eyelid edema, since not only the conjunctiva is involved in the inflammatory process, but also the eyelids that swell.
To treat a red eye in such cases, it is necessary to eliminate the main inflammatory process from a specialist. After that, the redness of the eyes will disappear. If there is no secondary infection in the eye area (in the conjunctiva, choroid or cornea), a separate treatment for redness of the eyes is not required.

4) Even microtrauma can cause redness of the eyes. Violation of the integrity of the conjunctiva activates the processes of regeneration and all the cells necessary for this are sent to the wound through the vessels. The increased flow of the necessary elements for regeneration causes the body to dilate the blood vessels and thus we observe reddening of the eyes after an injury.

Microtrauma can be caused:
— increased hand friction
— contact lenses
— ingress of a foreign body (mascara, eyelashes, etc. ) into the conjunctival cavity
— Adhesive contact causes redness of the eyes after eyelash extensions
— contact with the eye of any chemicals that can cause burns.
— We observe the same phenomena after a serious blow to the eye area.

5) High blood pressure interferes with blood flow. Vessels throughout the body dilate to lower blood pressure. Expansion of blood vessels, capillaries, we can observe before our eyes.

High blood pressure is a very common cause of eye redness.
Red eyes after a bath are also associated with an increase in blood pressure and exposure to dry air, as an irritating factor.

6) Allergic reaction of the body at the time of exacerbation is characterized by tissue edema and vasodilation, as a result of which we very often see red eyes during seasonal moments of allergy exacerbation. It should be noted that such redness is very difficult to differentiate from viral conjunctivitis.

Red eyes after contact lenses can also be caused by the body’s allergic reactions to contact lenses.
Treatment for allergic processes may include the use of drugs containing corticosteroid hormones, such as « Dexamethasone «, « Tobradex «, « Maxidex «.

7) Uncorrected refractive error , most often in hypermetropia or presbyopia, is also often the cause of red eyes. With hypermetropia, the focus is set to a long distance and everything that is closer than 5 meters a person sees with a strong tension of accommodation. Constant excessive tension of the accommodative muscle often leads to redness of the eyes. A similar problem occurs with presbyopia, near vision impairment with age.
Full correction glasses or laser correction relieves eye fatigue and redness;

8) Red eyes after sleep are due to lagophthalmos .

Lagophthalmos is a condition in which relaxed eyelids do not close completely during sleep. There remains a small gap through which the conjunctiva dries up and, as a result, redness of the eyes after sleep. Treatment must be agreed with a specialist, temporary improvement can bring moisturizing drops at night;

9) A sharp increase in blood pressure (hypertensive crisis) , especially with atherosclerotic changes in the body’s vessels, in addition to simple redness due to vasodilation, also leads to vascular ruptures — microstrokes in the conjunctiva. In such cases, we observe small red spots of blood, smears. Sometimes individual hemorrhages merge with each other and present a rather terrible picture of blood-filled eyes around the pupil and iris. Very intense red eyes. Controlling blood pressure for hypertension or reducing the amount of stress will get rid of red eyes. Red eyes in such cases do not require treatment and subconjunctival hemorrhage resolves on its own without complications in 2-3 weeks.

10) Often red eyes are a sign of atherosclerosis , when the sclerotic vascular wall cannot withstand blood pressure and breaks even at normal intraocular pressure. Consultation with a cardiologist is necessary;

11) Injury , with a blunt or sharp object, causes rupture of the conjunctival vascular wall, hemorrhage and, as a result, we can observe red eyes. Rather, get rid of red eyes, in this case, drops that improve the regeneration of the conjunctiva, such as Solcoseryl, Korneregel, will help.

5. What to do with «red eyes»

The most correct option is to contact an ophthalmologist.

If this is not possible, then after reading this article you need to think about what could be the cause of «red eyes» and try to eliminate this cause.

Frequently asked question, red eye, what drops can help if the red eye and the vessel burst?

It is possible to use drops aimed at vasoconstriction. Most commonly used Vizin and analogues Vizin — Vizoptik , Tizin .

However, you need to understand that these drops have only a temporary effect without eliminating the underlying cause that led to the reddening of the eyes.

With prolonged use of Vizin, addiction occurs to it and Vizin ceases to have a therapeutic effect.

If the redness of the eyes does not go away for 2 days or more, we strongly recommend that you see an ophthalmologist to find out the cause of the redness. After all, when the eye becomes red, you need to eliminate the cause of its redness, and not eliminate the consequence. Red eyes should be treated by a doctor.

In case of inflammatory processes, it is necessary to eliminate the infection, in case of injury, use drugs that improve the regeneration of damaged tissue tissue — the conjunctiva, in case of refractive errors, always achieve complete correction, in case of hypertension — monitor the state of pressure, in case of a foreign body of the conjunctiva, its removal is required, red eyes after contact lenses require eye treatment and lens replacement, etc.

It should be noted that hemorrhages resolve very slowly due to the small number of vessels in the sclera.

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