Red-eye, often referred to as pink eye, occurs when the white area of your eyes becomes red. It happens when the blood cells in your eye go through expansion because a substance enters the eye and causes an infection or allergic reaction. In some cases, it might be temporary and nothing to worry about but sometimes you might need to get it checked out by an eye specialist.
What Causes Your Eyes To Become Red?
There are many reasons why your eye might appear red and here are some common causes:
- Conjunctivitis: Also known as pink eye, it appears in bacterial, viral, and allergic stages. Conjunctivitis causes inflammation around the eye.
- Allergic Reactions: Your eyes might have been exposed to allergens such as pollen that can cause irritation and redness.
- Blepharitis: This is an eye disorder that causes redness and inflammation in your eyes due to bacteria or other skin conditions.
Other Conditions Related To Red Eye
- Stye: This happens when red bumps form on your eyelids caused by a bacterial infection and it can be related to blepharitis at times.
- Dry Eyes: If your eyes do not produce tears often, then they dry out very frequently and this leads to redness in your eyes as well.
Practices That Can Lead to Redness
If your eyes start appearing red too often, it might be linked to your use of contact lenses. It increases your chances of irritation or redness. Talking to an eye doctor will help you out in finding the correct correlation between your eye lenses and the redness. The lens solution can be a part of the problem as the liquid is not always compatible with the material of the lens.
Your diet can contribute to the redness as well. If you do not drink enough water, then it can make your eyes appear red as a result of dehydration. Consuming foods rich in omega-3 can help to reduce inflammation and make your eyes and vision healthy over time.
Serious Conditions Related To Red Eye
Sometimes, red-eye might be a sign of an underlying problem:
- Corneal Scratch: A scratch on the surface of your eye can lead to pink-eye and eventually inflict permanent damage.
- Glaucoma: It is an extremely serious condition that can cause blindness. It is caused due to the pressure that builds up in your eye over time.
- Uveitis: The insides of your eye suffer through inflammation and it ends up affecting the iris (the part that provides color in your eyes.)
What You Can Do At Home
Temporary relief through short term home remedies for red eyes is possible in the following ways:
- Using a towel soaked and squeezed in warm water and compressing it on your eyes can help relieve pain and irritation. Ensure that the compress is not too hot as your eyes are sensitive.
- If the warm compress is not providing relief, using a towel soaked in cold water is an option.
- You can use artificial tears as lubricants for your eyes. Tears are used for moisture and if your eyes are too dry, then artificial tears are an apt solution.