When the whites of your eyes look red and irritated, what do you do? Many people reach for lubricating eye drops. Though these may be a temporary salve, bloodshot eyes may require serious consideration, and may even require a call to your Orange County eye doctor.
Your eyes get red when tiny blood vessels on the surface of the eyeball expand. This can be caused by something as simple and obvious as physical injury to the eye, or even a night of heavy drinking. However, bloodshot eyes can also be symptomatic of something a more serious condition.
Allergies
If you have outdoor or indoor allergies, these can make your eye bloodshot. Outdoor causes include pollens from flowers, grasses, and trees. Indoor irritants include pet dander, dust, and mold, or perfume and smoke. In case of allergic reaction, your eyes may also have itching, burning, or tearing. You can also present other allergy symptoms along with your bloodshot eyes, such as sneezing or stuffy nose.
Dry Eye
The condition known as “dry eye” is more serious than it sounds: it can cause pain, ulcers on your cornea, and even vision loss. It occurs when your tears are not the right consistency and evaporate too fast; or else, you don’t produce tears at all.
Other symptoms include:
- A gritty feeling
- A burning sensation in the eye
- Occasional blurred vision
- Heavy eyelids
- Inability to cry
- Eye fatigue
- When your eyes aren’t dry, you get a lot of tears
- A stringy discharge
- Discomfort with contact lenses
If you think you have dry eye, see Dr. Ghosheh, your Orange County eye doctor for a consultation.
Pinkeye
Pinkeye, or conjunctivitis, occurs when the lining inside your eyelid and the white of your eye become inflamed. Causes can include virus, bacteria, allergy, or irritants like chlorine from a swimming pool. It is highly contagious, and very common – especially among children. If you develop pink eye, it is very important to see your Orange County eye doctor for medical evaluation and medication.
Other symptoms include:
- More tears than usual
- Your eyes burn, itch, or feel gritty
- White, yellow, or green discharge from your eyes
- Your eyes are more sensitive to light
- You get a crust on your eyelid or eyelashes
Broken Blood Vessels
In other cases, tiny blood vessels can break beneath the surface of your eye. The blood becomes trapped, making the white of your eye look bright red. This can be caused by a hard sneeze, heavy lifting, or even just by rubbing your eye too hard with your hands. Usually, it does not hurt.
Broken blood vessels can cause other symptoms, too, like a scratchy sensation in your eye.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness for people aged 60 and over. The usual form of glaucoma is normally painless. It occurs when fluid builds up in the front part of the eye. This puts pressure on the eye and can damage the optic nerve.
There is an unusual form of “acute glaucoma” which can cause symptoms such as:
- Severe pain in the eye
- Headache
- Decreased or blurred vision
- Rainbows or halos in your vision
- Nausea and vomiting
If you are experiencing foggy vision, especially over the age of 60, see your Orange County eye doctor for an examination.
What to do When your Eyes are Red
Rest easy – red eyes are usually nothing to worry about. Your first course of action should be to go to the local drugstore and buy a bottle of moistening eye drops. If you know you have allergies, buy allergy drops. (But remember, the drops can eventually make the problem worse if you use them too much and your eyes become dependent on them!)
Call your Orange County eye doctor if your bloodshot eyes are accompanied by any of the following symptoms:
- A sudden change in vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Sudden halos around lights
- Severe headache, pain in the eye, or fever
- Nausea or vomiting
- A foreign object or substance in your eye
- Swelling in the eye
- Inability to keep the eye open
Orange County Eye Doctor
The expert optometrists and ophthalmologists at Advanced Eye Medical have been your go-to Orange County eye doctors for over 35 years. Dr. Gosheh has authored several books on high definition LASIK and custom cataract surgery. In addition to LASIK Eye Surgery and Custom Cataract Surgery, Advanced Eye Medical specializes in Monovision Correction through Clear Lens Extraction and Replacement. For more information, contact us Today!