You can develop bloodshot eyes temporarily after drinking alcohol, staring at a computer screen too long, or forgetting to change your contact lenses. But bloodshot eyes can be caused by something more serious as well, such as an eye injury or infection.
This article will discuss the most common causes of bloodshot eyes and what you can do about each one. Of course, it is always best to seek the advice of your eye healthcare provider, but there are a few red eye home remedies you can try in the meantime for relief.
Poor fitLeaving them in too longTraumatic removalWearing a damaged contact lensPoor hygiene
Sometimes contact lens complications can cause corneal abrasion—a scratch on the cornea that can then become infected and result in an infectious corneal ulcer.
Using over-the-counter, preservative-free lubricating eye drops are usually a safe bet to try before consulting with your eye doctor. They can help you identify the cause of your bloodshot eyes and prescribe a safe and effective treatment.
Blinking is one of the fastest reflexes of the body. However, people tend to blink about half as much as normal when working on a computer. This is known as “computer vision syndrome” or digital eye strain.
Your eyes need fluid to clean and renew. Unfortunately, when you don’t get enough sleep, your eyes don’t get the long rest they need for proper fluid circulation.
If you’re prone to getting bloodshot eyes from swimming, wearing swim goggles in the pool is a good option.
Vasodilation can cause the vessels on the white part of the eye to become larger and more visible. Also, alcohol is dehydrating and can cause the eyes to appear red and tired.
It’s well known that using cannabis causes bloodshot eyes too, whether you smoke the plant or consume it as an edible.
Vasodilation and eye redness happen because they’re binding to receptors on the blood vessels on the surface, i.e., the white part of the eye.
With allergies, the eyes become red because the blood vessels in the front part of the eye dilate and become larger. As a result, fluid accumulates and causes swelling.
Treatment can also include eye drops targeted for allergies. (Note that systemic allergy medications can dry out the eyes and thereby worsen symptoms.)
Ultraviolet rays naturally come from the sun and are also artificially produced in tanning beds. You can get photokeratitis by spending time in the sun or in a tanning bed without sun protection. It can also happen when UV rays reflect off of snow or ice and into your eyes.
In addition to redness, symptoms of photokeratitis include watery eyes, blurry vision, and light sensitivity. Symptoms typically resolve within six to 48 hours, though they may be more severe if you are exposed to UV rays for a prolonged period of time.
Pink eye can be caused by allergies, bacteria, viruses, or toxic substances. It is common but usually not serious.
Pink eye is extremely contagious and can be easily transferred via touching your eyes. Avoid sharing towels or physical contact with others.
Common causes include:
Poor makeup hygiene Decreased blinking Ocular demodicosis (a skin mite that normally lives on human skin)
Blepharitis is not infectious and usually does not cause permanent damage to your eyesight. If you have blepharitis, you may notice:
A sandy or burning sensation in your eyesExcessive tearingItchingRed and swollen eyelidsDry eyesCrusting eyelids
RednessPainBlurry visionFloatersLight sensitivity
Your healthcare provider will most likely prescribe a form of steroids to help reduce swelling. If they can determine the underlying cause for the uveitis, they will treat the cause as well.
The most common eye symptoms associated with COVID-19 include bloodshot eyes, sensitivity to light (photophobia), soreness, and itchiness. Eye symptoms typically resolve around the same time that other symptoms do.
When your eye becomes dry, it also becomes red and irritated. Dry eyes can occur from:
Staring at a computer screen for an extended amount of timeLack of quality sleepWearing your contact lenses for too longCertain medicationsHormonal changes Plugged tear glands
When you injure your eye, blood vessels inside the eye enlarge and dilate. This brings blood and cells to heal and repair the injury. A red eye from an injury is also a warning sign to tell you something is wrong with your eye.
With a corneal ulcer, the nearby blood vessels enlarge to quickly get important inflammatory cells to the site. In addition to bloodshot eyes, symptoms of a corneal ulcer include:
PainDischargeWhite spot on the corneaBlurred visionItchingSensitivity to light
Medicated drops that are targeted to treat the cause of the underlying infection are often used to treat corneal ulcerations. The drops may be antibacterial, antiviral, or antifungal.
Steroids are not commonly started at the beginning of corneal ulcer treatment. But your healthcare provider may prescribe them to reduce scarring and inflammation once the infection is under control.
The blood has no place to go, so it spreads out like ketchup under plastic wrap. Sometimes the blood can gather so much that the eye appears swollen and pouches outward.
A bleeding eye can look very scary, but it usually does not cause permanent harm to the eye and is rarely painful. Common causes include:
Straining too hardLifting something too heavySneezing or coughing too hardDiabetesHigh blood pressureBlood clotting issuesMedications that thin the blood (e. g. , aspirin, warfarin)
It occurs when the fluid pressure inside the eye rises quickly. This serious type of glaucoma usually causes:
Sudden redness in the eyeSevere eye painBlurred vision (usually occurring in only one eye)
Episcleritis causes mild eye pain, irritation, and eye redness. Sometimes the eyes become tender to the touch.
Scleritis is a deeper inflammation of the outer coat of the eyeball, called the sclera. In this condition, the eye is usually deep red and usually very painful.
Often, scleritis is caused by an autoimmune condition. Therefore, your healthcare provider may order blood work as part of diagnosing your condition.
Scleritis needs immediate medical attention. It often requires oral anti-inflammatories and topical steroid drops.
Wearing contact lensesUsing eye drops too frequentlyStaring at a computer screen for long hoursNot getting enough sleepSwimmingSmoking cigarettesUsing alcohol or cannabisBeing pregnantPhotokeratitis
Allergies, pink eye, blepharitis, and dry eye syndrome are also common causes of bloodshot eyes. While they are not cause for concern, you may need OTC or prescription medication to ease your symptoms. COVID can cause you to have red eyes, too, but the symptom should resolve as you recover from COVID.
If you think you may have one of the following conditions, you should get medical attention as soon as possible to prevent serious complications:
UveitisEye injuryCorneal ulcerSubconjunctival hemorrhage Acute angle-closure glaucomaEpiscleritis
Summary
Bloodshot eyes can result from many things. Most often, the things that cause dry, red, irritated eyes are minor and can be treated at home.
However, other causes of red eyes can be more serious and threaten your vision and overall health. So, it’s always best to consult your healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis.
Yellow, brown, or green crust in the eyesPain or tendernessLight sensitivityFeverSymptoms lasting more than one weekExposure to pink eye
