Red Bloodshot Eyes - Causes And Treatment

The white (sclera) of our eyes are covered with a very thin transparent membrane called conjunctiva. Red bloodshot eyes results from dilatation of blood vessels in this membrane or on the underlying sclera. A red eye is sometimes referred to as a pink eye or a blood-shot eye.

Sometimes, your eyes may be red due to a subtle cause such as accidental instillation of water into your eyes while bathing. Other times, it may be indicative of a more grim diagnosis such as an eye infection. A red eye may be nothing to worry or it may be a medical emergency; but the degree of redness does not always reflect the seriousness of the underlying condition.

Whether the redness is associated with pain in the eyes or problems in vision is important. So, if your eyes are red, just check whether you have any of these signs and get prompt medical help if you have them.

Unexplained eye redness is very rare. There will usually be some obvious condition which produces the redness. Often, your eyes may be mildly allergic to the environmental pollutants and produce redness but there might not be other symptoms of an allergy. Exposure to dust, dry air or sun may produce similar effects.

Contact lens can also cause redness of the eyes; especially if the fit is not right or if you are allergic to the lens material.

Sometimes redness of your eyes may be generalized or it may be localized. Localized redness may result from trivial injury, or on straining such as after a bout of coughing or sneezing. This occurs when a small blood vessel in the eye rupture leading to a small amount of bleeding on the sclera of the eye. This is seen as a bright red blot when fresh and is called a subconjunctival haemorrhage. The size and shape of subconjunctival haemorrhages may vary but they are usually not indicative of a serious problem. Their colour may change as they clear and will fade away on their own within a week or two. However, if you repeatedly have subconjunctival haemorrhages, you need to get checked by a doctor.

Generalized redness is most commonly due to inflammation of the conjunctiva. It may be due to an allergy or due to an infection or due to the presence of a foreign object in the conjunctival folds.

Infections of the lid margins (blepharitis), inflammations of the inner tissue layers of the eye (uveitis) and raised pressure of the eyes may all cause redness. Injuries and ulcers of the cornea too can produce redness.

If you have persistently red eyes with or without other symptoms, you should get your eyes checked by an eye care practitioner. You may be prescribed medication in the form of eye drops or tablets to relieve the condition.

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