The eyes are a window to the soul, so you don’t want them to be red and sore. Red eyes are common, and everyone has experienced them at least once in their life. In most cases, it is not very serious and goes away on its own with home remedies such as compresses and eye drops. If it is painful, causes a problem seeing, or has any other changes, you need medical attention.
How does it happen? When the blood vessels on the surface of your eye expand or dilate, it makes your eyes red. This happens for different reasons; climate, force of air while driving, allergy, or when a foreign object has gotten into your eye and an infection has occurred.
Bloodshot eyes or red eyes can indicate the presence of some health issues. The issue can be mild or serious. The sufferer can know the severity and accordingly take the necessary steps. A red eye condition affects your ability to perform tasks such as cooking or driving. Eye redness is usually temporary and clears up quickly.
What are the common causes of eye redness?
Though the famous song says, “Gulabi aankhen jo teri dekhi...” in reality, pink or red eyes don’t look good. A clear eye is always attractive and is obviously a healthy sign. Now let’s understand the different causes of eye redness.
Dry eyes
Tears are made by tear glands situated above the eyes. They help protect and lubricate the eyes. You have dry eyes when your eyes don’t produce enough tears.
Dry eyes are very common. The condition is more likely to occur in women, people over the age of 50, individuals who wear contact lenses, post-lasik surgery patients, and long-time users of digital screens.
Dry eyes make you feel uncomfortable; they become red, have a burning sensation, may be itchy, are sensitive to light, have difficulty blinking comfortably, have a sandy feeling, and may cause blurred vision.
Allergies
Eye allergies make your eyes red and swollen. You may also experience itching, a burning sensation, tearing. If it's an extended allergy, you may also experience sneezing and a runny nose.
The possible reasons of triggering an allergy can be;
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. It is inflammation that makes your eyes pink. Conjunctivitis is when you get a discharge of mucus or pus, increased tearing, pain sometimes, a sandy feeling, and itching. It can be a viral or bacterial infection caused by species like Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Haemophilus influenzae. Conjunctivitis is very contagious. That means that it can easily be spread from one person to another.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. It might make your eyelids and eyes look red and puffy. Blepharitis can potentially create more serious symptoms, especially if left untreated. These can include things like eyelash loss, eyelashes growing in the wrong place, or obscured eyesight. Blepharitis can develop if you have a lot of micro-organisms on your eyelids.
Uveitis
When there is inflammation that happens in the uvea, the middle part of your eye. Uvea is the area between the white of your eye and retina. Along with the redness, you may experience blurred vision, eye pain, eye floaters, and sensitivity to light.
Scleritis
Scleritis is an inflammation that affects the sclera, the white of your eye. It makes the white of your eye red and swollen. Other symptoms are similar to conjunctivitis.
The development of scleritis is often associated with autoimmune diseases or eye injuries.
Subconjunctival hemorrhage
Sometimes, a blood vessel in an eye can rupture, leaking blood on the surface of the eye. This is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. This happens by rubbing your eyes too hard, sometimes causing an eye injury, coughing, or sneezing hard. The condition may look serious, but it goes away on its own.
Some further causes of eye redness can be due to;
Different types of eye infections;
Consumption of alcohol or cannabis
Photokeratitis, a red eye condition due to sun exposure
Ocular rosacea
Trichiasis (in which eyelashes grow inward and irritate the eye)
We advise that if your eye condition is severe, please visit the doctor as soon as possible.
How do you treat red eyes?
Red eyes, a common condition, can be self-treated. Here are some ways to opt;
Apply a cool compress. A cool compress kept on closed eyes several times each day might help lessen symptoms such as redness and edema (swelling)
Take over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops. These eye drops with ingredients like naphazoline help reduce eye redness. They are mild on the eyes and safe to use. You can carry them to work and have one at home. Eye Spa Red is one of such eye drops exclusively for red eye conditions; in just 2 minutes, it clears the redness and makes you feel comfortable.
Try artificial tears. Artificial tears are available over the counter, like Eye Spa Eye Drops, and can be used to help alleviate red eyes and wash away irritants. Keep them in the refrigerator for additional relief. It also helps with dry eye conditions.
Avoid irritants. Use sunglasses to avoid irritants in your environment, such as pollen, smoke, or chemical fumes.
Wash your hands. Make sure your hands are washed and clean because it's a habit that hands frequently go to the eye and face.
Avoid makeup. Use good-quality, tested eye makeup. Avoid wearing them when you have an eye infection.
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.
The majority of occurrences of eye redness can be avoided by practising good hygiene and avoiding irritants that cause redness.
Most illnesses that cause eye redness are not dangerous and will resolve without the need for a hospital visit. Compresses and fake tears, for example, can assist reduce any problems you may be feeling. If the symptoms persist or include pain or loss of vision, you should seek an ophthalmologist's assistance.