Definition Causes When to see a doctor. Products and services. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Eye pain.
Merck Manual Professional Version. Accessed Feb. Jacobs DS. Overview of the red eye. Ferri FF. E — Differential diagnosis. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Red or painful eye. Mayo Clinic; Pain in eye. If your GP cannot find what's causing your red eye, they may refer you to an eye specialist ophthalmologist for tests.
Page last reviewed: 14 March Next review due: 14 March Red eye. Common causes of a red eye Lots of different things can cause a red eye. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights.
Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The term "red eye" is used to describe eyes that are red and bloodshot. Bloodshot eyes are usually painless. They develop when blood vessels near the surface of the eye become swollen. Many people suffer from red eyes every once in a while, but a red eye is not normal.
If you've ever had bloodshot eyes, you may have wondered what you did to cause it. This article will discuss the most common causes and what you can do about each one. Of course, it is always best to seek the advice of your eye healthcare provider, but there are a few red eye home remedies you can try in the meantime for relief. A common cause of bloodshot eyes is dry eye syndrome. It occurs when there are not enough natural tears to keep the front part of the eye moist.
When your eye becomes dry, it also becomes red and irritated. Dry eyes can occur from:. If your eyes are red and bloodshot due to dry eye syndrome, it might be helpful to use eye drops that moisten the eyes.
Lubricant, or rewetting, eye drops are sold over the counter and can be used throughout the day. Some cases of a red eye are caused by pink eye , also known as conjunctivitis.
Pink eye is a swelling or infection of the clear, protective layer that covers the front part of the eye. Pink eye can be caused by allergies, bacteria, viruses, or toxic substances. It is common but usually not serious. Visit your healthcare provider if you suspect you have pink eye. This is especially important if it is associated with pain and vision changes.
Blepharitis is a common reason for red, painful eyes. It is caused by impacted oil glands that can't release the oily layer of the tear film well. This leads to inflammation of the eyelid. Blepharitis is not infectious and usually does not cause permanent damage to your eyesight. If you have blepharitis, you may notice:. Good eyelid hygiene is important. For example, if you have blepharitis, your healthcare provider may instruct you to clean your lids and lashes with eyelid scrubs regularly.
If that doesn't help, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics or other medications. Uveitis is an inflammation of the eye's uvea, the middle layer of the eyeball.
Symptoms of this condition can occur suddenly and get worse very quickly. It can cause:. Your healthcare provider will most likely prescribe a form of steroids to help reduce swelling. If they can determine the underlying cause for the uveitis, they will treat the cause as well. Uveitis should be treated quickly. Other complications, such as uveitic glaucoma or retinal and choroidal scarring, may occur if it lingers.
Do you reach for eye drops when you wake up with red eyes? Before using eye drops of any kind, it's a good idea to first consult with your eye doctor. They can help you identify the cause of your red eyes and prescribe an effective treatment. Contact lenses can be irritating to the eyes, causing them to turn red. Some common reasons contacts may irritate your eyes include:. Sometimes contact lens complications can result in a bacterial infection. These infections occur on the cornea of the eye, and they can threaten vision.
If you have red eyes associated with contact lens wear, see an eye doctor right away. They will check for possible complications and provide the correct treatment. Redness sometimes occurs with an eye injury. Injuring your eye could be as simple as sticking yourself with a mascara wand or accidentally scratching your eye with a sharp fingernail. When you injure your eye, blood vessels inside the eye enlarge and dilate. This brings blood and cells to heal and repair the injury.
A red eye from an injury is also a warning sign to tell you something is wrong with your eye. A corneal ulcer occurs when the eye's cornea becomes infected, leading to a sore on the cornea. When this happens, nearby blood vessels become enlarged and swollen. As cells rush in to help fight the infection, it can cause visible redness.
With a corneal ulcer , the nearby blood vessels enlarge to quickly get important inflammatory cells to the site. In addition to redness, symptoms of a corneal ulcer include:. The cornea is avascular, meaning normally, the cornea does not have any blood vessels in it. Instead, it gets most of its oxygen and nutrients from tears and the air. Medicated drops that are targeted to treat the cause of the underlying infection are often used to treat corneal ulcerations.
The drops may be antibacterial, antiviral, or antifungal. Steroids are not commonly started at the beginning of corneal ulcer treatment. But your healthcare provider may prescribe them to reduce scarring and inflammation once the infection is under control. Seek treatment right away.
Corneal ulcer treatment needs to be aggressive to prevent potential vision loss and blindness. A subconjunctival hemorrhage also known as bleeding in the eye causes the white part of the eye to become completely red.
It occurs when one of the blood vessels bursts underneath the conjunctiva , the transparent, clear tissue that covers the white part of the eye. The blood has no place to go, so it spreads out like ketchup under plastic wrap. Sometimes the blood can gather so much that the eye appears swollen and pouches outward. A bleeding eye can look very scary, but it usually does not cause permanent harm to the eye. Common culprits include:. Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor.
They will examine your eye and make sure that no other damage is present. They may also measure your eye pressure and look inside your eye. Sometimes a red eye can signal a serious condition. For example, one severe eye condition that may cause red eye is acute angle-closure glaucoma. It occurs when the fluid pressure inside the eye rises quickly. This serious type of glaucoma usually causes:.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a serious medical emergency that must be treated immediately.
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