Eye Redness - Causes, Symptoms, Eye Drops From Eye Redness

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

Causes, symptoms, eye drops from eye redness

Content:

• Eye redness symptoms
• Causes of eye redness
• How to relieve eye redness?

Eye redness symptoms

Eye redness - dilation of small blood vessels located on the surface of the eyeball. It is caused by external irritants or diseases, since in the normal state the capillaries are practically invisible. Enlarged blood vessels make the eye red, and bloody spots can be found in the sclera.

External symptoms suggest the presence of other signs that indicate the need to consult an ophthalmologist:

• Decreased visual acuity;
• Uncharacteristic discharge from the eyes;
• Photophobia;
• Pain.

Itchy and red eyes

Redness is often accompanied by itching. The patient has a strong urge to scratch the eye to relieve discomfort. However, friction, on the contrary, increases the discomfort. When itching, you should not touch your eyes with your hands or comb them so as not to bring infection or tiny particles onto the mucous membrane. This will only make the situation worse.

If itching occurs, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist, since such a symptom, together with redness, is a sign of many serious diseases: glaucoma, cataracts, corneal lesions, treelike keratitis. If it is impossible to get the advice of a specialist immediately, you can try to cope with the discomfort for a while yourself. To do this, make herbal compresses from chamomile or green tea, fresh cucumbers, raw potatoes or milk. Even if after using such funds, itching is felt less or completely disappears, you still need to visit a specialist. Lack of treatment in the case of many diseases leads to rapid loss of vision.

Foreign body ingestion also causes itching and redness of the eyes. In this case, they should be rinsed with running water, and then, with a gentle movement, try to displace the particle that caused irritation to the corner of the eye and try to remove it from there. If you cannot cope with the problem on your own, you need to seek help from a doctor as soon as possible.

Causes of eye redness

There are 23 reasons for eye redness:

• External stimuli. Redness of the eyes can cause low temperatures, direct sunlight, strong wind. Ultraviolet radiation burns proteins. Bright sunlight is also dangerous because it makes you constantly squint, and this leads to the formation of wrinkles around the eyes. Therefore, it is necessary to use glasses. The wind contributes to irritation and contact with the eyes of fine litter, grains of sand.
• Chemicals. Cleaning agents, soaps, shampoos can cause irritation of the mucous membrane. Often, chlorinated pool water splashes into the eyes. For this reason, it is worth using swimming goggles.
• Dust, foreign bodies. When they hit, there is an acute desire to rub your eyes, but this cannot be done. Since if you squeeze the eyelids too much, you can damage the cornea.

• Air conditioning. If you are constantly in the room where the split system works, you may encounter reddening of the eyes. This is due to the drying out of the mucous membrane. In a normal state, it should always be moist. This is known as dry eye syndrome. It often affects office workers. Constant itching and burning, discomfort in the eyes in bright light - all these are symptoms of this syndrome. Lacrimation also occurs, but it is not enough to moisten the mucous membrane.
• Allergy. It can be caused by pollen, dust, mold, lint and pet hair around. Allergies are usually accompanied by a cough, runny nose, and redness in both eyes, which are often watery and irritated by sunlight. It is important to find out what leads to this reaction. During periods of attacks of allergic conjunctivitis, it is recommended to do cleaning more often, to avoid contact with animals and flowering plants.
• Bath and sauna visit. Temperature drops, water vapor lead to dryness of the mucous membrane, which in turn causes redness and irritation. Therefore, when visiting the steam room in the bath, you need to blink more often and cover your eyes a little, and then rinse them with cold water.

• Improper nutrition. Lack of vitamins and certain elements also manifests itself in the form of redness of the eyes. This is another reason that proves that the diet should be balanced. Periodically, it is necessary to drink special pharmacy complexes to avoid vitamin deficiency. The body especially needs such help in winter, when there are too few fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet.

  The most important for the eyes are vitamins B, C, E and vitamin A, which has a positive effect on the retina and helps prevent many diseases. These elements are found in various products. B vitamins are found in milk, eggs, meat, cereals. To replenish their lack in the body, it is recommended to eat oatmeal or buckwheat porridge for breakfast every day. Sources of vitamin A are various vegetables and fruits, and especially a lot of it in red palm oil. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, rose hips, sweet peppers, and vegetable oils are rich in vitamin E: olive, corn, soy. The most beneficial foods for eye health are blueberries, beef liver, carrots and fish.



• Lenses. For patients who are just starting to wear lenses, eye redness is a normal reaction to a foreign body. Gradually, the body gets used to it, and irritation no longer appears. However, if the lenses have been used for a long time, and suddenly there are unpleasant sensations and redness, this indicates that they need to be replaced. Indeed, in the process of wearing contact lenses lose elasticity. In addition, microscopic particles accumulate on their surface, which cause irritation, rubbing the cornea. The redness of the eyes may be an allergic reaction to contact lens solution. It is necessary to replace it with a better one.

  To avoid irritation, you should consult an ophthalmologist before wearing lenses. There are a number of contraindications, for example, "dry eye syndrome", various diseases of the cornea. Lenses recommended by a specialist and made of quality materials should not lead to redness. If such a side effect occurs, you must stop using them and identify the cause of irritation. It is also important to follow the rules for wearing lenses: at night and leave in a special solution, change after the expiration date, periodically remove them during the day, giving your eyes a rest.

• Smoking. Tobacco smoke is a common cause of allergies and eye redness. This is due to the fact that it causes vasoconstriction. As a result, blood circulation in the eye area is disturbed, their conjunctiva is irritated, lacrimation begins, and redness appears. Some components of tobacco smoke lead to the development of serious diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration. At the same time, the retina suffers greatly, which affects the quality and visual acuity. Lack of treatment can lead to blindness. If irritation occurs, it is necessary to give up the bad habit. But redness of the eyes affects not only active, but also passive smokers. They should avoid areas where exposure to tobacco smoke is possible.
• Incorrectly fitted glasses. The glasses must match the parameters of vision correction. If they are not chosen correctly, reddening of the eyes is possible after wearing them. Even the wrong frame is irritating. Periodically, it is necessary to do exercises for the eyes and give them a break from glasses, the long wearing of which also causes redness. In any case, if you experience discomfort, you should contact an ophthalmologist. It is impossible to independently decide on the need to wear glasses and choose them, since there is a high risk of impairing vision in this way.
• Alcohol. One of the main actions that alcoholic beverages have on the human body is vasodilation. They are especially noticeable if you pay attention to the eyes. You can get rid of such redness by removing all the toxins that appear after drinking alcohol.

• Cosmetics. The use of mascara, eyeshadows cause irritation and redness of the eyes. Most often, women face such problems when using low quality cosmetics. Less commonly, specific brands of products cause an allergic reaction. Careful use of cosmetics helps prevent redness and itching. It is necessary to avoid contact with the eyes, try to apply them as little as possible. Make-up should be removed as soon as possible, do not go to bed with it. You should not save on cosmetics, since high-quality luxury brand products cause allergic reactions much less often than their cheap counterparts.
• Eye strain. While watching TV, working at a computer, using various electronic devices and reading, the eyes are seriously stressed. Therefore, every 45 minutes you need to give them a rest, do gymnastics. Otherwise, redness of the eyes is possible from overexertion. It is recommended to blink more often to moisturize the mucous membrane. When it dries, the eyes itch, hurt and redden. The use of special glasses allows you to lighten the load. Some of them are for driving a car. Driving requires increased concentration of attention, while the eyes get tired, and the glasses will improve vision in bad weather conditions and get rid of sun glare.



• Non-compliance with the daily regimen. Lack of time, and more often its incorrect organization leads to lack of sleep. In order to have time to complete all the planned tasks, the majority usually sacrifice sleep. As a result, the body does not have time to recover, which affects the eyes. With insufficient sleep, they turn red, itch and hurt. After waking up, in such cases, there is a desire to rub the eyes. Do not do this to avoid scratching the cornea and aggravating irritation.
• Bad light. When doing work that requires concentration, such as reading, using a computer, or watching TV, choose a location with good lighting. In a dark room, the eyes will strain too much, which can lead to redness.
• Tears. Crying is sometimes useful, because it is an opportunity to give vent to emotions, but as a result, eyes always swell and redden. This reaction is largely due to the chemical composition of the tears, in which salt is present. If you rub your eyes, then they turn red even more. As a result, dirt gets into them, eyelashes fall out. Therefore, you should not cry and at the same time scratch your eyes so as not to cause even more irritation.

• Injuries. They are of a different nature, but are accompanied by redness of the eyes. This can be mechanical damage, for example, bruises, thermal damage associated with burns or frostbite. Chemical injuries are caused by alkalis or acids in the eyes, and radiation injuries are caused by ionizing radiation. If you receive such injuries, you should consult a doctor immediately, as they can lead to loss of vision.
• Pregnancy and childbirth. During this period, fluid retention and hormonal changes appear in the form of eye redness. An increase in blood volume in pregnant women leads to this, as a result of which small vessels burst. Hormonal changes provoke dry eye syndrome. Its main symptoms are redness, dryness and itching. The eyes are very stressed during childbirth. At this time, capillaries can burst in them if a woman pushes incorrectly, holding her breath. Because of this, blood pressure rises sharply, so the vessels burst.
• Scleritus. This disease is associated with inflammation of the white membrane of the eye. In medicine, it is known as the sclera, hence the name scleritis. This inflammation can be caused by another disease: tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, or serve as a symptom of it. Some infections also lead to the development of scleritis. The main symptom of the disease is redness of the eyes, as well as of the conjunctiva, fear of light, profuse tearing. Women suffer from scleritis more often than men. It usually occurs among older and elderly patients.
• Corneal ulcers. Mechanical trauma, burns, fungal infections, viruses - all this leads to corneal ulcers, which are purulent in nature. Their presence can be determined by eye redness, lacrimation, fear of light, uncharacteristic discharge. Ulcers affect all layers of the cornea, as a result of which, after recovery, a scar, often called a thorn, is visible on it. This disease is diagnosed by an ophthalmologist using a special lamp. Ulcers are treated with medication and surgery. Surgical intervention is required if the deep layers of the cornea are damaged, so it is necessary to identify the disease in time.
• Glaucoma. This eye disease is considered one of the most dangerous, as it can lead to complete loss of vision. It is caused by an increase in intraocular pressure. Glaucoma can be identified by headaches, a feeling of squeezing in the temples, blurred vision and redness of the eyes.
• Uveitis. In this disease, the uveal tract or the choroid becomes inflamed. This disease can develop into glaucoma, causing loss of visual acuity or blindness. Redness of the eyes is a symptom of uveitis along with pain, irritation in response to bright light.
• Conjunctivitis. So in medicine is called inflammation of the mucous membrane, which can be caused by an allergic reaction or external irritants. Conjunctivitis manifests itself in the form of edema and redness of the eyes.

On the subject: If the eye turns red and is swollen, itches, watery - what to do?

How to relieve eye redness?

First of all, it is necessary to determine the cause of the eye redness. To do this, you need to consult a specialist. It is possible to relieve eye redness on your own only if it is not associated with serious diseases that can lead to loss of vision.

In the event of microtraumas of the ocular surface (trauma during eyelash extension, corneal trauma when putting on a contact lens, damaged lens, accumulation of protein deposits on the lens), which are accompanied only by the feeling that something has got into the eye, you should not neglect the treatment, since the lack of treatment microtrauma can lead to irritation and redness, which in turn can contribute to the development of complications (keratitis, keratoconjunctivitis, corneal ulcers), since damaged tissues are the gateway for infection.

For the restoration of eye tissues, drugs with dexpanthenol, a substance with a regenerating effect, have proven themselves well. In particular, the eye gel "Korneregel" has a healing effect due to the maximum concentration of dexpanthenol 5%, and the carbomer included in its composition, due to the viscous texture, prolongs the contact of dexpanthenol with the ocular surface.

Often this phenomenon is caused by a lack of vitamins and trace elements in the body. You can make up for their shortage by taking special complexes containing lutein. You should also pay attention to nutrition. The diet should contain foods that have a positive effect on the state of vision: blueberries, carrots, beef liver, dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits. A balanced diet is one of the most important ingredients for eye health.

If redness is caused by overexertion while reading or working at a computer, it is recommended to do gymnastics or use special glasses. They reduce eye strain and maintain visual acuity. Various compresses relieve redness well. The easiest option for such a remedy is cucumber slices, which must be placed over your eyes and left for a while. Previously, they can be kept in the refrigerator for some time to achieve the best effect. Cucumber not only relieves redness, but also helps get rid of dark circles under the eyes. Brewed green or chamomile tea bags can also be used as a compress. Ice cubes relieve inflammation well, but you need to keep them on your eyes no more than 5 minutes, after wrapping them in a cloth.

Redness is often the result of sleep deprivation and dehydration. You need to try to drink more clean water and observe the daily routine. If an allergy manifests itself in the form of redness, it is necessary to identify its cause. At the same time, for a while, you need to abandon the use of cosmetics, cleaning products, and do cleaning more often.

On the subject: Vitamins for the eyes - which are the best?

Eye drops for redness

Drops are considered the most effective way to combat redness of the eyes. Different types of proteins are used depending on the causes of irritation and discoloration of proteins. If the redness is caused by tobacco smoke or allergies, drops containing phenylephrine are suitable. It has a constricting effect on blood vessels, as a result of which they become less noticeable. With dryness of the mucous membrane that caused redness, drops are required that can moisturize it.

The following drops are also used:

• "Okutiars" - eye drops based on hyaluronic acid (a natural constituent of human tears) with ultra-high molecular weight help to quickly relieve dryness and relieve redness of the eyes that occur sporadically after prolonged visual work (computer syndrome in office workers, motorists / motorcyclists who often fly, travelers, students). In addition, the drops are suitable for people after ophthalmic surgery and people who have recently wear contact lenses (for easier removal, putting on lenses).

  They do not contain preservatives, they can be buried on contact lenses.

• Cationorm is a unique cationic emulsion that restores all three layers of tears and prevents the development of dry eye syndrome. Cationorm helps with severe symptoms of dry eyes that appear in the morning and quickly relieves redness.

  The drug belongs to the class of non-canned tear substitutes and can be used in conjunction with contact lenses.

  Cationorm is also suitable for people with other eye diseases (glaucoma, blepharitis, allergic conjunctivitis) and people using hormone replacement therapy (hormones during menopause, oral contraceptives).

• "Oftagel" - eye gel with carbomer in maximum concentration moisturizes the eye surface for a long time, eliminates tearing and redness of the eyes, and does not require frequent applications, it can be used once a day as a means of additional moisturizing of the eyes. Suitable for people who do not have the ability or desire to use drops during the day.
• Visin. This medication is indicated if the redness is caused by dry mucous membranes. The action of the drops occurs after a few minutes, and a small amount of them enters the systemic circulation. "Vizin" allows you to get rid of redness and swelling, but the drug should be used with caution, as it is addictive. It should be buried several times a day for no more than 4 days. The drug is also contraindicated in patients with high eye pressure and young children.
• Octylia. Drops eliminate the symptoms of eye irritation: redness, swelling, tearing, itching, burning. Due to this action, they are widely used for various types of conjunctivitis. The vessels narrow a few minutes after instillation, the effect lasts for at least 4 hours. "Octyliya" is used in cases where redness is caused by mechanical damage to the eyes, the ingress of chemicals into them. The drug should be instilled 2 times a day. If after 2 days a positive effect is not observed, you should stop using the medication and consult an ophthalmologist.
• "Naphtizin". It has a strong vasoconstrictor effect, eliminates signs of inflammation, including redness of the eyes caused by allergies and mechanical stress. "Naphtizin" is buried no more than 3 times a day. Like many other similar drugs, it can be addictive, which reduces its effectiveness. With an overdose of drops, weakness, headache, nausea appear. "Naphthyzin" leads to dilation of the pupil, therefore, after instillation, it is difficult to perform work that requires increased concentration of attention.
• "Okumetil". This combined drug has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. "Okumetil" is buried when edema and redness of the eyes appear several times a day for 3 days. In the absence of a positive effect, it is necessary to stop using it and consult an ophthalmologist. Since the drug is absorbed into the systemic circulation, it cannot be used by pregnant and lactating women, young children, patients with diabetes mellitus and diseases of the cardiovascular system. Immediately after instillation, itching and burning are felt, visual acuity decreases.
• "Alomid". It is used mainly as an anti-allergic agent, it allows you to quickly relieve inflammation and redness of the eyes. The drug has practically no contraindications and similar effects. Treatment with Alomid lasts for several days and may last for several weeks. As is the case with many other similar drugs, discomfort is possible after instillation.
• "Visomitin". The peculiarity of this drug is that it not only eliminates redness, but acts on the cause that caused the inflammation. It is used to combat age-related changes, moisturize the mucous membrane, relieve irritation and eye fatigue, "computer syndrome". The exact dosage and duration of the course of treatment is determined by the ophthalmologist, depending on the nature and causes of redness. A significant advantage of "Vizomitin" is that it is able to enhance the effect of other drugs, therefore it can be used as part of complex therapy.

The author of the article: Degtyareva Marina Vitalievna, ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist