When I was little, I always used to suffer from a case of red eyes after taking a bubble bath. And this happened despite my mother always resorting to the use of shampoos without a lot of labeled chemical irritants. My family GP recommended that I wash my hair separately from the rest of my body. A later health search on our house’s internet confirmed this treatment approach. But still, the problem persisted. And my mother, completely frustrated with trying one home remedy after another, took me to see a specialist.
How to deal with case of Red Eyes?
After my initial five minutes with our town’s only ophthalmologist, it wasn’t long before he diagnosed me with a chronic retinal allergy. This was causing the capillaries in my eyes to become irritated and inflamed. And extremely itchy; so much so that I often wished to claw my eyes out of their sockets at times.
Other than advising me to avoid bringing dirty fingers near my sensitive eyes area, this new doctor also prescribed an optical antibiotic solution. These resolved the issue completely, but I still had to make repeated applications at least thrice a week.
A PCR genes test later identified what I was allergic too: dust. And since there’s no going around this ‘constant’ of nature anywhere, I had to give in. So as of today, I’ve regularly used my eye drops solution for the last 15 years. And I don’t think that I’ll be able to stop anytime soon.
My own research on eye conditions, in general, familiarized me with all sorts of optical illnesses. The most common sign of most of which are ‘fiery’ red eyes (bearing no relation to any intense emotional state). So in this blog post, I’ve taken the liberty to detail some of this information. These points will not only help you to make sense of your own red eyes condition but will also provide tips on how to alleviate it.
Eight Common Causes of Red Eyes
The 8 most common causes of red eyes include:
- Allergies
- Conjunctivitis
- Being Generous with the Liquor
- Insomnia
- A Stye Outbreak
- Contact Lens Irritants/Impurities
- An Eye Hemorrhage
- Glaucoma
Drawing on my own experience, I’ve already discussed a little something about eye allergies above. The following paragraphs deal with some of the other ailments normally associated with red eyes.
1. Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is the name generally given to a case of swollen, pinkish eyes – which progress on to the full scarlet shade. Bacterial and viral infections cause it, and this disease is normally treated with antibiotic & antiviral solutions. Conjunctivitis can be a bit fiendish because it tends to spread easily through close contact. If you suffer from it, be sure to keep your towels, makeups kits and face sponges close. Because these are some of the most common mediums that facilitate disease transmission.
2. Alcohol
Increased alcohol consumption can have a particularly harmful effect on your eye health. Alcoholic beverages, for one, cause vasodilation of the capillaries supplying blood to the eyes. This makes them swell up noticeably. Symptoms of itchiness abound, and if you scratch too vigorously, some of the vessels can rupture. Applying a cold compress often helps. So does rehydration (water) therapy, and using over-the-counter antibiotic eye drops.
3. Lack of Sleep
Getting the required 8 hours of daily sleep is not only crucial for your general brain & body health, but it’s also important for your eyes. When you sleep, your eyelids shut. This lubricates your eyes constantly; thereby relieving them of all kinds of biological stress.
For people suffering from insomnia, this repair work doesn’t happen adequately. Red eyes are some of the first signs that indicate this health issue. And by getting enough snooze time, you’re often able to restore your eyes’ natural color without any medical intervention.
4. Stye Outbreaks
Everyone gets these nasty little buggers at least once in their lifetime. Styes are infectious mole-like skin projections that often contain slimy pus buildups. They are usually caused by dirty hands and eye-care instruments. And once they’re apparent, they soon bring red eyes crawling along.
5. Contact Lens Impurities
Most people who sport contact lenses on a daily basis suffer from conjunctivitis at least once. A condition which (as I’ve already mentioned) is soon followed by red eyes. In this case, the usual antibiotic and antiviral remedies also apply.
6. Eye Hemorrhages
Many things cause eye hemorrhages. Oftentimes, physical injuries resulting from rubbing your eyes too vigorously can be the main culprit. Some people have genetically thin blood vessels, and so even a sneeze can tear them. Others might get hemorrhages due to sudden spikes in blood pressure, or an allergy attack.
7. Glaucoma
Glaucoma causes pressure buildups in the eyes, and this damages the sensitive optic nerve. Red eyes can be one of the chronic signs of this progressive ailment. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to blindness.
8. Parting Words
I make it a point to visit my eye specialist every 6 months. And sometimes, when I’m occupied elsewhere, I email detailed retinal scans to him over the internet. This style of correspondence normally proves sufficient. And just last month, he sent me a reply to get my intraocular pressure checked from an eye lab.
Thankfully, it turned up with nothing much to worry about!
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