Red eyes what is the cause

In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Red or painful eye. Mayo Clinic; Pain in eye. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Skorin L, et al. Ectropion: Classification, diagnosis, and management. Walls RM, et al. Red and painful eye. Dry eye. Softing Hataye AL expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Ebola virus and Marburg virus Ectropion Eye vitamins: Can they prevent or treat glaucoma? Glaucoma Granulomatosis with polyangiitis Hangover prevention: Do lighter colored drinks help?

Pink eye conjunctivitis Pink eye: How long is it contagious? Pink eye treatment: What if I wear contact lenses? Someone may wake up with red, bloodshot eyes if they have dry eye syndrome or blepharitis. Eyes do not produce tears when someone is sleeping, so someone with either of these conditions could wake up with dry, red eyes due to a lack of lubricating tears.

Over-the-counter artificial tears can help resolve redness in many cases. Taking an antihistamine for seasonal allergies, placing a cool compress over closed eyes, avoiding irritants such as cigarette smoke, using a dehumidifier, and practicing good hygiene with frequent hand washing and clean linens are all practices that help relieve red eyes.

It's best to seek medical attention if eye redness or bloodshot eyes are accompanied by certain symptoms, including:. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

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Allergic conjunctivitis. Community Eye Health. Pregnancy and the Eye. Turk J Ophthalmol. Blink rate, incomplete blinks and computer vision syndrome. Hazardous compounds in tobacco smoke.

American Academy of Ophthalmology. What you should know about swimming and your eyes. Updated August 16, Alcohol, athletic performance and recovery. Why are my eyes bloodshot when I wake up? June 26, Home remedies for bloodshot eyes. May 7, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Dry Eye Syndrome A common cause of bloodshot eyes is dry eye syndrome. Dry eyes can occur from: Staring at a computer screen for an extended amount of time Lack of quality sleep Wearing your contact lenses for too long Certain medications Hormonal changes Plugged tear glands What To Do If your eyes are red and bloodshot due to dry eye syndrome, it might be helpful to use eye drops that moisten the eyes.

Pink Eye Some cases of a red eye are caused by pink eye , also known as conjunctivitis. What To Do Visit your healthcare provider if you suspect you have pink eye. Blepharitis Blepharitis is a common reason for red, painful eyes. Common causes include: Poor makeup hygiene Decreased blinking Ocular demodicosis a skin mite that normally lives on human skin Blepharitis is not infectious and usually does not cause permanent damage to your eyesight.

If you have blepharitis, you may notice: A sandy or burning sensation in your eyes Excessive tearing Itching Red and swollen eyelids Dry eyes Crusting eyelids What To Do Good eyelid hygiene is important.

Uveitis Uveitis is an inflammation of the eye's uvea, the middle layer of the eyeball. It can cause: Redness Pain Blurry vision Floaters Light sensitivity Your healthcare provider will most likely prescribe a form of steroids to help reduce swelling.

What To Do Uveitis should be treated quickly. Frequent Use of Eye Drops Do you reach for eye drops when you wake up with red eyes? What To Do Before using eye drops of any kind, it's a good idea to first consult with your eye doctor. Contact Lens Wear Contact lenses can be irritating to the eyes, causing them to turn red.

Some common reasons contacts may irritate your eyes include: Poor fit Leaving them in too long Traumatic removal Wearing a damaged contact lens Poor hygiene Sometimes contact lens complications can result in a bacterial infection.

What To Do If you have red eyes associated with contact lens wear, see an eye doctor right away. Injury Redness sometimes occurs with an eye injury. What To Do Visit your healthcare provider to make sure that you did not significantly damage your eye. Corneal Ulcer A corneal ulcer occurs when the eye's cornea becomes infected, leading to a sore on the cornea.

In addition to redness, symptoms of a corneal ulcer include: Pain Discharge White spot on the cornea Blurred vision Itching Sensitivity to light The cornea is avascular, meaning normally, the cornea does not have any blood vessels in it. What To Do Seek treatment right away. Subconjunctival Hemorrhage A subconjunctival hemorrhage also known as bleeding in the eye causes the white part of the eye to become completely red.

Common culprits include: Straining too hard Lifting something too heavy Sneezing or coughing too hard What To Do Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma Sometimes a red eye can signal a serious condition. This serious type of glaucoma usually causes: Sudden redness in the eye Severe eye pain Blurred vision usually occurring in only one eye What To Do Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a serious medical emergency that must be treated immediately.

Episcleritis Another condition that can give your eyes a bloodshot appearance is episcleritis. What To Do Episcleritis can be treated with artificial tears. Allergies Your eyes can become bloodshot because of allergies. What To Do You can treat this type of redness with cold compresses, artificial tears, avoidance of triggers, and OTC allergy medications. Pregnancy Pregnancy causes big changes to several hormones in the body. What To Do If you find it challenging to wear contacts during pregnancy, you may opt for glasses until after you give birth.

Computer Vision Syndrome Red, dry eyes result from a lack of moisture to the eyes. What To Do Try to reduce redness by blinking more often. Smoking Smoking a cigarette releases several harmful chemicals that can irritate the sensitive tissues of the eyes.

Many cases of red eye are harmless and respond well to home or over-the-counter treatments. The best thing you can do is find what allergen is causing the red eye and avoid it. But some causes of red eye need medical diagnosis and prescription medicine.

So, if your eye is red or bloodshot, what should you do? What can you do at home, and when should you see a doctor? If you have bloodshot eyes, but none of these more serious symptoms, you can try a few things at home to help.

Two main kinds of infection cause red eyes — viral and bacterial. Fungal eye infections are less common. Pink eye conjunctivitis can be viral or bacterial. Viral eye infections, the most common kind. Bacterial eye infections require antibiotics.

Both types of infection are contagious and spread easily. Family physicians or pediatricians can diagnosis most eye infections. Ophthalmologists have the tools and expertise for a more-detailed evaluation. About Foundation Museum of the Eye.