Contents:
- Medical Video: What Drops to Use and Not to Use + What Causes Red Eyes - Video 5 in Dr. Zigler's Dry Eye Series
- Various causes of red eye
- 1. Conjunctivitis
- 2. Dry eyes
- 3. Allergy
- 4. Eyes tired
- 5. Injury to the eye
- 6. Certain medical conditions
Medical Video: What Drops to Use and Not to Use + What Causes Red Eyes - Video 5 in Dr. Zigler's Dry Eye Series
Not only does it feel uncomfortable, red eyes can also interfere with your daily activities. Not only that, this condition will also disrupt your appearance. So, what causes red eyes? How to know the answer in this article.
Various causes of red eye
1. Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis or also commonly referred to as pink eye is the most common and contagious eye infection. This condition occurs when the conjunctiva, namely a transparent membrane that covers the eyeball and the inside of the eyelid is infected. This makes the blood vessels in the eye become irritated and swollen, making the eyes look reddish.
Because conjunctivity is contagious, you must get treatment as early as possible to avoid transmission to others.
2. Dry eyes
Dry eye syndrome occurs when the tear glands do not produce enough eye fluid, both in terms of quantity and quality, to lubricate your eyes. As a result, this makes your eyes dry and irritated so they look red.
You can give eye drops or artificial tears (artificial tears) once every 2-3 hours or according to the reference stated on the packaging, to help alleviate this condition.
3. Allergy
Red eyes are often referred to as allergic eyes. This happens because the general reaction to allergies is red eyes. When your immune system reacts to foreign substances, such as dust, pollen, animal hair, certain chemicals in makeup or contact lens solutions, your body naturally releases histamine in an effort to fight the causes of allergens. As a result, histamine causes the arteries to enlarge to make your eyes red and runny.
Avoiding anything that can trigger allergies and take antihistamine drugs can help alleviate the allergic reactions you experience.
4. Eyes tired
Too long staring at a monitor, TV, or cellphone screen will make you unconsciously rarely blink. In fact, blinking is one of the natural ways to moisturize your eyes so that it can prevent dry and red eyes.
To reduce the risk of eye fatigue because of constantly focusing on a computer screen, you can use anti-radiation glasses specifically designed to protect the eyes from exposure to computer light and apply the rules 20-20-20.
The 20-20-20 rule recommends that you turn away from the monitor every 20 minutes and rest your eyes for 20 seconds by looking at objects that are about 20 feet (6 meters) away. If needed, you can also drop eye medication or artificial tears to moisturize your eyes.
5. Injury to the eye
Trauma or injuries to the eyes caused by accidents, exposure to foreign objects or chemicals, new surgery, small scratches that cause blisters, or burns can also be the cause of red eyes.
This happens because the blood vessels in your eyes widen to drain more blood to the site of the injury so that the healing process can run faster. Widening or sometimes damage to blood vessels in the eye is what causes your eyes to appear reddish.
That is why, if there is a foreign object that accidentally enters and injures the eye, immediately see a doctor so that you get medical treatment according to your needs.
6. Certain medical conditions
Apart from the various causes mentioned above, eye redness can sometimes indicate a more serious eye disease, such as uveitis or glaucoma. That is why, if your red eyes continue or even get worse, immediately consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
