Eye redness is due to the swelling or dilated blood vessels which cause the surface of the eyes to appear red in color or bloodshot. It can happen in both eyes. Red eyes can be caused by an illness, injury, eye infections and other conditions like allergies. Red eyes are also known as bloodshot eyes, pink eye and allergy eyes.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyUbi09chrc” width=”220″]Symptoms of red eyes
· Itchy and watery eyes
· Itchy and swollen eyelids
· There is a burning sensation
· Discharge that is usually thick and watery
· Feeling or sensation of a foreign body in the eyes
· The eyes are sensitive to light or photophobia
· Crusting and scaling of the eyelid skin or dermatitis
· The eyelashes are falling out which is a condition known as blepharitis
Causes of red eyes
Red eyes occurs when the blood vessels on the surface of the eye which is known as conjunctiva is irritated and becomes enlarged and dilated. Red eyes can be caused by allergens and some environmental irritants like pollen, dust, pet dander, wind, sun exposure and people who have difficulty sleeping can experience red eyes. Additionally, excessive dryness of the eyes can cause red eyes and irritations.
An infected and inflamed eye can also cause red eyes and will have symptoms like a discharge, pain, itching and a vision that is blurred. Wearing of worn out contact lens as well as those that are dirty and not disinfected can experience red eyes.
Sometimes red eyes can cause some serious problems like blepharitis, corneal ulcers, conjunctivitis, scleritis or acute glaucoma. If experiencing symptoms like discharge or pain caused by the redness, seek medical help.
Treatment and home remedies
A red, bloodshot eye just heals on their own but if is due to allergies or environmental irritants, take oral antihistamines or over-the-counter eye drops before asking for medical attention. Dry eyes that become red can be given artificial tears to solve the problem.
Avoid rubbing the eyes since it would make the infection worse and more symptoms will occur.
Oils and some debris that are sticking to the fingers can get under the fingernails, thus it is best to avoid rubbing these fingernails into the eyes since they can cause increased redness and the eyeball can be accidentally scratched.
Avoid having close contact with pets and stay away from pollen. Apply ice compress on the eyes since it relieves the symptoms of swelling and pain as well as minimize the redness of the eye. If you want to learn ways on providing relief to red eyes, click here.
Rinse the eyes with warm and cool water to irrigate and clean the eyes without causing harm to the eyes. Have plenty of sleep and maintaining a diet that is rich in vitamins to keep the eyes and other organs of the body healthy and develop resistance to infections. Take vitamin A and E supplements and suitable amounts of fatty acids in the diet.