Have your eyes been looking a little too red lately? It could be due to an injury or infection! While most red eye cases can be treated with simple home remedies, some require medical intervention.
If your red eye is accompanied by other symptoms like pain, irritation, unclear vision, fever, or excessive watering, etc., you are advised to schedule a consultation with an ophthalmologist at the earliest.
In this blog, we are going to tell you about some common causes of red eye and their potential courses of treatment.
What is a Red Eye?
First things first, what is a red eye? “Red eye” is an umbrella term used to describe any eye that appears bloodshot and irritated. This redness is typically caused when small blood vessels under the eye’s surface are inflamed or swollen. Generally, this is a reaction to irritants that may have entered the eye during exposure to wind, summer loo, or allergy season.
This redness can affect one or both eyes. It may be sudden (in case of eye injury or allergies) or develop over a period of time (in case of eye conditions).
The redness may be accompanied by other symptoms such as:
- Eye pain
- Swelling or inflammation
- Itching
- Eye discharge
- Sudden changes in vision (blurry or distorted)
Red Eye Causes
A red eye can result from different reasons. Sometimes, your eyes may get irritated if you’ve been wearing contact lenses for a prolonged time, leading to redness, or sometimes it may be due to excessive screen time without frequent breaks.
Common causes include:
How to Identify a Red Eye?
The first thing to notice is redness in the white part of your eye. This happens if the blood vessels are inflamed due to irritants. In some cases, a small blood vessel may even rupture.
In case of an eye injury, the blood vessels in the eye may dilate to let more blood get to the site for accelerated healing. It’s these dilated blood vessels that cause the red eye.
Depending on your specific cause, your eye(s) may feel:
- Completely normal
- Itchy or irritated
- Excessively watery or dry
- Tender
- Crusty or goopy (in case of pus from an eye infection)
Red Eye Treatment Options
The treatment for red eye depends completely on the root cause of your condition. There are often remedies you can try at home, but if your condition is severe, medical intervention is necessary.
Home Remedies:
- Rest your eyes – avoid screens
- Cool compression (with your eyes closed)
- Massage your eyelids lightly
- Gently wash your eyelids
- over-the-counter eye drops/medication
Prescribed Treatment:
In case you consult an ophthalmologist, they may conduct a routine checkup followed by a comprehensive eye examination. This is essential to detect the underlying cause and rule out any serious issue (e.g., glaucoma). If it is not something that requires extensive treatment or surgery, they may prescribe:
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics
- Special eye drops
- Eye ointments
When to Visit a Doctor?
In many cases, a red or bloodshot eye appears to be severe, but the physical symptoms may not always align. Many instances of a red eye are even harmless and typically get better with home remedies or over-the-counter medication/eye drops.
However, if your eye remains red for more than a week or if the physical symptoms are extreme, make an appointment with a trusted eye care provider. This is because, in some cases, a red eye could be pointing to a more serious eye condition.
Schedule an eye checkup with the best eye specialists in Chandigarh at Sohana Hospital, for world-class diagnostics and modern treatment facilities, at the most affordable prices.
