Red eyes may go away on their own with home treatments such as compresses and eye drops. But pain or changes in vision require medical attention.
Your eyes are often considered to be a window into your soul, so it’s understandable that you don’t want them to be red and sore.
Eye redness can happen when the blood vessels on the surface of your eye expand or dilate. This can happen when a foreign object or substance has gotten into your eye or when infection has formed.
Eye redness is usually temporary and clears up quickly. Here are some things you can do to make the process easier.
The right remedy for your red eyes depends on the specific cause. Generally, one or more of the following will ease the discomfort of most cases of red eyes.
Soak a towel in warm water and wring it out. The area around the eyes is sensitive, so keep the temperature at a reasonable level. Place the towel on your eyes for about 10 minutes. The heat can increase blood flow to the area. It can also increase oil production on your eyelids. This allows your eyes to create more lubrication.
If a warm compress isn’t working, you can take the opposite approach. A towel soaked in cool water and wrung out may also provide short-term relief for red eye symptoms. It can relieve any swelling and reduce any itchiness from irritation. Be sure to avoid any extremes of temperature in the area around your eyes, or you may make the problem worse.
Tears lubricate your eyes and help keep them clean. Short-term or long-term dryness might call for over-the-counter artificial tears to keep your eyes healthy. If cool artificial tears are recommended, consider refrigerating the solution.
If you regularly experience red, irritated eyes, you may need to think beyond quick fixes. Here are a few lifestyle changes that may relieve your symptoms. You should also talk to your doctor if the problem persists.If you’re experiencing chronic eye redness and you wear contact lenses, the problem may involve your eyewear. The materials found inside certain lenses can increase your likelihood for infection or irritation. If you’ve recently switched lenses — or if you’ve had the same type of lenses for a while — and experience redness, talk to your eye doctor. They can help you pinpoint the problem.
