Red eye
A red eye is generally a medical condition not to worry about, as it often gets better. Yet, if red eye is painful, has light sensitivity, swelling, or has blurry vision, see your eye doctor immediately.
Symptoms
Symptoms are vital to keep in note since discussing these signs helps the doctor identify the cause of red eye.
Signs include:
- The bright red area in the white of your eye
- Sore, blurry, or watery eyes
- It feels like there’s something in your eye
- Gritty or burning feeling, sticky eyes
- Itchy, painful, or red eyelids
- Swollen, drooping, or twitching eyelid, or a lump on your eyelid
Causes
Numerous things cause a red eye, and your symptoms can reveal the cause.
Some common reasons are:
- Allergies
- Burst blood vessel
- Dry eyes
- Ingrowing lashes (Eyelid Problems)
- Conjunctivitis
- Blepharitis
How can red eye be prevented?
- Don’t touch or rub the eyes. Minute specks of dirt and germs are present on the hands and fingers leads to causing even more redness and irritation
- If wearing contact lenses, keep them clean, and do not wear them longer than advised
- Always remove eye makeup properly
- If looking at a screen for a more extended period, make sure to take regular breaks
- Schedule an eye checkup to ensure the reason is not something more complicated
When to seek a doctor’s consultation
The doctor can help you by suggesting eye drops, cleaning solutions, and medicine.
You have a red eye and:
- You enclose any changes to your sight, like wavy pattern lines, flashing, or a loss of vision
- Light sensitive
- A severe headache and feel sick
- Your eye becomes dark red
- One pupil is bigger than the other
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 04 October 2022