What Causes Red Eyes?
Wondering why your eyes are suddenly red? Although seeing red when you look in the mirror can be alarming, red eyes aren't usually a sign of a serious health condition. Fortunately, your optometrist can recommend treatment options if you develop red eyes due to one of these common conditions:
Dry Eye
Dry eye is a common condition affecting more than 16 million U.S. adults, according to research published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology in 2017.
Your eyes become too dry if you don't make enough tears, have tears that evaporate quickly, or the tears your body creates are poor quality. In addition to redness, dry eye can cause:
- Burning or Itching
- Fatigue
- Blurry Vision
- Sensitivity to Light
- Foreign Body Sensation
- Stringy Mucus
Watery eyes can also be a dry eye symptom. Although watering may seem like an unusual symptom, the eyes tear in an effort to increase moisture.
Treatment Options. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your eye doctor may recommend over-the-counter lubricating drops or prescription drops that improve tear production or decrease inflammation. Punctal plugs may be helpful if your tears evaporate or drain too quickly. The tiny plugs keep your eyes moister by blocking some of the tear ducts that drain tears from the eye. Warm compresses can be helpful if blocked oil glands are the cause of dry eye.
Infectious Conjunctivitis
Infectious conjunctivitis, commonly called "pink eye," can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Did your symptoms start after a cold or another illness? You may have viral conjunctivitis.
Bacterial conjunctivitis occurs when your eyes are exposed to germs. Exposure that leads to pink eye can be caused by many things, including the use expired contact lens solution, inadequate hand washing, and excessive eye touching. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are contagious.
Treatment Options. Antibiotic eye drops kill the bacteria that cause the infection in bacterial conjunctivitis. Antibiotics aren't needed for viral conjunctivitis, as the condition usually improves on its own. Lubricating eye drops and cold compresses can improve your comfort while you recover.
Allergic Conjunctivitis
Do your eyes turn red during allergy season? Redness can occur when your immune system overreacts to the presence of pollen, mold, dust mites, dander, and other allergens by producing histamines, chemicals that help your body get rid of allergens. As histamine production increases, your eyes may become red, itchy, and watery. Sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, and coughing can also occur due to an allergic reaction.
Giant papillary conjunctivitis can be a problem if you wear contact lenses. Painful, red bumps develop under the eyelids. The bumps may occur due to an allergy to contact lenses or solutions, protein deposits on contact lenses, or the lens rubbing against the eyelid, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Unlike viral and bacterial conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis isn't contagious.
Treatment Options. Cold compresses and artificial tears may improve eye comfort if you have allergic conjunctivitis. Using antihistamine eye drops and prescription or over-the-counter allergy medication can also be helpful. If your allergies are severe, your optometrist may recommend talking to your family doctor or general practitioner about the benefits of allergy shots. Trying a different brand or type of contact lenses and using preservative-free cleaning solutions may be helpful if you have giant papillary conjunctivitis.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
Your eye may look red due to a subconjunctival hemorrhage. These hemorrhages happen when a blood vessel in the sclera (white part of the eye) breaks. Subconjunctival hemorrhages won't damage your vision and aren't painful. They may occur after a minor blow to the eye or vomiting, sneezing, or coughing forcefully.
Treatment Options. Subconjunctival hemorrhages usually clear up in a few weeks without treatment. If your eye is still red after two or three weeks, give your optometrist a call.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis causes redness in your eyelids rather than in the whites of your eyes. The condition happens when the eyelids become inflamed due to clogged oil glands, allergies, bacterial growth, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, or rosacea. Symptoms include burning, itching, crusty eyelids, blurry vision, and swelling.
Treatment Options. If you're diagnosed with blepharitis, your optometrist may recommend prescription eye drops or ointments that control inflammation, fight infection, and reduce inflammation. Using moist compresses daily and cleaning your eyelids with eyelid cleaner or a solution of warm water and baby shampoo can be helpful.
Ready to put an end to red eyes? We can help improve your comfort. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the optometrist.
Sources:
American Journal of Ophthalmology: Prevalence of Diagnosed Dry Eye Disease in the United States Among Adults Aged 18 Years and Older, 10/2017
https://www.aoa.org/news/clinical-eye-care/diseases-and-conditions/new-study-dry-eye-disease
American Academy of Ophthalmology: Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis, 9/16/2024
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-giant-papillary-conjunctivitis
All About Vision: Eye Redness (Bloodshot Eyes), 1/22/2024
https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/symptoms/red-eyes/overview-or-bloodshot-eyes/
American Optometric Association: Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/conjunctivitis
WebMD: Why Are My Eyes Red?, 1/28/2024