It has happened to all of us: suddenly one day you wake up and see that your eyes are red. Or you leave work after all day in front of a screen, you look in the mirror and boom! Redness everywhere. It is then when you have red eyes and you wonder what is wrong with you or why this process has occurred, and the reality is that the appearance of how we find the eye can vary greatly depending on its origin.
In any case, and to further help you solve all your questions in this regard, we are going to tell you about the reasons why the eyes can look reddish, which can even alarm you, as well as the solutions that are within your reach.. Of course, remember that if you have any doubts, the ideal is to see your doctor and let him/her help you solve your problem.
What can cause you to have eyes like that?
We may well find that the entire white of the eye (technically called the sclera) is very red or is just starting to turn red. The physical reality is that there is a dilation of the blood vessels found in the sclera, which are commonly so tiny that they are barely appreciated (hence why we see it white). When they become inflamed, they increase in size and that is why we see the eye as red or very red.
Red eye disorder is accompanied by various symptoms, such as itching and irritation, which is why we tend to scratch. You may also notice some dry eyes, sensitivity to light and, of course, the characteristic red color. The reason why we can have eyes this way may be:
Dry eyes
When the eye itself is not capable of creating natural tears that allow the organ to be moist and free of foreign particles, it is when dry eyes are noticed. This process can be caused by a little blinking or a very fixed gaze on an object (for example, on computer screens). It can also be due to prolonged exposure to the sun or being in an extremely dry environment. It is more common among older people than in young people.
Allergy
Ocular allergy is a reaction of the organ due to the presence of pollen in the environment. Sometimes it can be confused with the dry eyes that we have just explained to you, however there are certain differences. The allergy is usually accompanied by sneezing and nasal itching and it gets worse when you are outdoors. Also, this type of allergy can appear at any age.
Conjunctivitis
It is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the outer layer that surrounds the eyeball, and is given -in most cases- by an infection. It is usually very contagious, it is easy to catch it by coughing, sneezing or in aqueous environments such as swimming pools. In addition, it is very common that if you only have it in one eye (and you do not pay special attention) you end up spreading it to both. Generally, it is usually a mild infection and it ends up happening in a few days, although we can go to the doctor to prescribe an antibiotic eye drop.
Weather of your city
Sometimes pollution, dust or unclean air in your city can cause redness in the eye. Additionally, smoke from smokers or airborne allergens can cause eye irritation.
Eye fatigue
We can say that visual fatigue is having forced the eyes to exert themselves. That is, demanding too much from them. It appears, for example, when we spend too much time looking closely at a screen (and now, working with a computer and always having our mobile in front of us, even more so).
When we make the gesture of looking at a screen, the eye focuses closely and, for this, it must do more work. If we add to this, for example, the lack of light, it is much more noticeable. After a long time with this effort, the eye gets tired. It is important to note that this adaptation mechanism “wears out” with age and is what causes eyestrain. One of the symptoms is feeling very tired and loaded eyes, itching, the need to close them and, of course, red eyes.
Incorrect use of contact lenses
People who have been wearing contact lenses for a long time sometimes forget that their eyes require the same precautions and care as the first day. Abusing contact lenses for more hours than they should, sleeping with them on, being in places with a lot of smoke, prolonging their useful use beyond the stipulated (days or months) or not changing the liquid daily are some of the causes that facilitate that the eyes can be irritated by contact lenses.
simple solutions to cure red eyes
As we have seen, the origin of red eyes can be different, but you have to know it very well in order to solve it as soon as possible. Among the remedies that we can find we have:
1 eye drops
The remedy for most cases of red eyes is usually some eye drops that soothe redness and itching. However, it is important that you go to the doctor if it is not a specific matter of a day in which you may have strained your vision a little more. In addition, the specialist will know how to differentiate what is happening to you (if it is an allergy, if you are using your contact lenses incorrectly…) and remedy it beyond the drops that he prescribes. You should have the essential concern of going to the ophthalmologist if the redness appears along with other symptoms, such as blurred vision or discomfort and pain.
2 antibiotic drops
If you have conjunctivitis, the safest thing is that your doctor will prescribe a few drops with an antibiotic and give you some recommendations to take into account so as not to infect it. For example, using different towels from the rest of the family, removing make-up with different disks in each eye so as not to infect one another…
3 artificial tears
For people who tend to have dry eyes from time to time, artificial tears are a great help to keep the organ hydrated. They can be bought at the pharmacy without a prescription, and they are the typical things that never hurt to have at home.
4 force yourself to blink more
It is not a joke. Whether you wear contact lenses or spend many hours in front of a screen, you need to blink more. It is not something that has to be seen as a tic, but the eye needs to be hydrated and the way is to close and open it from time to time. Also, the tendency when we use electronic devices is always to stare for more seconds than you should, so you should be aware that you have to blink more.
5 Chamomile as a home remedy
As far as hydration and tired eyes are concerned, there is an infallible remedy that is also very cheap: chamomile. What should you do? Heat some water in a small glass until it boils and add a sachet of this herb. Let it cool, impregnate two cotton discs and place one on each eye. In addition to coming in very handy to hydrate, you will forget to rest your eyes for a long time.
6 switch to the glasses
It is likely that if you are misusing contact lenses or have some eye pathology, they recommend you wear glasses for a while. If you see that you have red and itchy eyes, and also wear contact lenses, consider switching to glasses for a few days.
7 Take care of your eyes as you take care of the rest of the body
The eyes are there and we tend to forget them, but the truth is that we must take care of them as much as any other part of our body. Therefore, you must dedicate enough time to rest without screens and take breaks during work hours to take a breather. In addition, it is necessary to avoid dry or smoky environments, maintain proper hygiene of contact lenses and your eyes (removing make-up and taking care of them properly) and go for check-ups from time to time to check that everything is fine, or go to the doctor if you notice something in your eyes.