What is red eye syndrome? How to treat this ailment? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article. Red eye syndrome is a complex of symptoms that develops with inflammatory damage to the eyelids, cornea or conjunctiva, lacrimal ducts. Consider this ailment below.
Short description
Clinically, red eye syndrome can manifest itself as edema, hyperemia, pain, increased tearing, and visual dysfunction. In order to establish the cause of the occurrence, doctors perform visometry, biomicroscopy, ultrasound, tonometry, perimetry, gonioscopy, ophthalmoscopy.
Conservative medicine includes the use of antibacterial drugs, antihistamines, NSAIDs, antiseptics, glucocorticosteroids and mydriatics.
What kind of ailment is this?
Red eye syndrome is a common pathology in practical ophthalmology. There is no accurate statistical information about the epidemiology of the disease, which is caused by a large number of background diseases that affect its development.
It was revealed that more than 75% of the population have symptoms of this deviation of pathological or physiological genesis. This indicator with damage to the anterior region of the eyeball reaches 95-98%. The disease can develop at any age. Women and men suffer with identical frequency. The anomaly is widespread.
Causes of occurrence
How does the occurrence of red eye syndrome ophthalmology explains? This pathology is considered as a complex of symptoms that characterizes the pathological process in the zone of the anterior part of the eye.
Risk factors for the development of the disease are metabolic and autoimmune disorders, prolonged use of contact lenses, aggravated allergic history, arterial hypertension. The underlying causes of progression include:
- The effect of chemical substances. Injection of the vessels of the conjunctival membrane is a frequent reaction to chemicals, decorative cosmetics, an increased content of chlorine in water, and eye care products.
- Inflammation of the structures of the eyeball. The ailment under consideration is a common manifestation of an abscess of the eyelid, dacryocystitis, blepharitis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, dacryoadenitis.
- Visual overwork. Overstrain of the muscles of the eyes leads to a disturbance in the blood supply and the appearance of hyperemia. This is a physiological phenomenon that independently passes.
- Contact with the orbital cavity of a foreign body. Pathology appears when the conjunctiva is irritated by foreign bodies - smoke, dust or cosmetics.
- Infectious eye diseases. Conjunctival vascular injection is a characteristic sign of syphilis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia.
- Allergic reactions. The development of clinical signs provokes an allergy to flowering plants, pollen, hair of domestic animals.
- Dry eye syndrome. The development of the disease is caused by a disorder in the process of tear formation, which underlies xerophthalmia.
- Ailments of blood. Clinical symptoms can confirm the presence of von Willebrand disease, hemophilia, idiopathic thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura, intravascular disseminated blood coagulation syndrome (DIC).
By the way, if you spend a long time at the computer, for example, play the famous game GTA San Andreas: Beta, you will also have red eye syndrome.
Pathogenesis
The key importance in the mechanism of the appearance of the syndrome we are considering is assigned to an increase in the permeability of the vessel walls. This leads to the release of vasoactive substances into the bloodstream: bradykinin, thromboxane A2, histamine, interleukins 1, 2, 6, 8.
Less commonly, hyperemia occurs due to a defect in the development of blood vessels, is manifested by thinning of the wall or transformation of the rheological qualities of the blood. As a result, the vascular network is clearly visible on the surface of the eyeball.
If the integrity of the walls of the capillaries is damaged, bleeding appears with the formation of large areas of hemorrhage.
Symptoms
The first manifestation of the disease is hyperemia of the conjunctival surface, to which small hemorrhage segments located along the periphery of the limb later join.
As a rule, the onset is very rapid, prodromal phenomena appear only with the infectious genesis of the disease. In a one-sided form, narrowing of the pupil can be detected on the affected side.
Patients complain of the occurrence of "floating opacities" or "flies" before the eyes. There is a sensation of "sand in the eyes", which develops due to the expansion of the vessels of the conjunctiva.
If a person has a red eye, what pain does he experience? The saturation of the pain syndrome ranges from a feeling of slight discomfort to obvious pain, which is accompanied by irradiation into the temporal zone, superciliary arches, inability to open the eyelids.
Patients report that they have swelling, itching, increased lacrimation. A characteristic sign of the disease is photophobia. With an exacerbated course, yellow, whitish or green masses are intensely secreted from the medial corner of the eye. Visual dysfunction is expressed in the occurrence of a “veil” or “fog” in front of the eyes, a decrease in visual acuity.
A pronounced cosmetic anomaly appears. The relapsing course of the syndrome in babies upsets the process of adaptation in society. With an allergic genesis, the symptoms increase during the influence of allergens, spring-autumn seasonality is fixed.
Symptoms in the development of ailments
With the development of the syndrome against the background of conjunctivitis of the eyes, transformations of the cornea are not visually detected, but it becomes too sensitive. With dacryocystitis, along with all the above signs, pathological masses with a cheese-like consistency are released from the lower lacrimal opening when a lacrimal sac is pressed.
In patients, in addition to the general pathogenesis against the background of iridocyclitis, the color of the iris is transformed, the pupil is modified. In the segment of the projection of the ciliary body, pain is most pronounced.
When an ailment appears on the background of blepharitis, the symptoms are represented by loss of eyelashes, redness of the eyelids, the presence of scales on the skin and between the eyelashes, ulcerative anomalies on the skin of the eyelids.
Complications
With the poor effectiveness of medical measures from the cornea, complications such as clouding or degenerative-degenerative transformations, bacterial keratitis may occur. The acute course of inflammatory processes of the lacrimal ducts, conjunctiva, cornea or eyelids is often replaced by a chronic one.
Often, dacryocystitis is complicated by phlegmon of the lacrimal sac. With a long-term course of iridocyclitis, the pupil opening may overgrow, which will lead to a disturbance of the fluid circulation inside the eye and the development of secondary glaucoma.
Visual acuity is reduced due to spasm of accommodation, clouding of optical media. The rarest complications of the pathology are the formation of connective tissue moorings, orbital cellulitis. More often, the development of the process with the appearance of pan- and endophthalmitis is revealed.
Diagnostics
In order to make a diagnosis, the doctor conducts a visual examination, applies a special set of ophthalmic tests. Hyperemia of the frontal surface of the eyes is detected with the naked eye. Basic methods for the differential diagnosis of red eye syndrome include:
- Visometry A reduction in visual acuity is established. If a spasm of the accommodation device is suspected, an additional test with mydriatic is recommended.
- Biomicroscopy of the eye. The technology provides the ability to visualize segments of hemorrhage, the expansion of the vasculature of the conjunctiva, clouding of the lens.
- Ultrasound eyes. Ultrasound testing is used to visualize organic transformations (foreign body) that can lead to the development of anomalies. The technology is also used to identify objective symptoms of complications (posterior and anterior synechia, clouding of the lens).
- Perimetry. Assistive technology to detect concentric narrowing of the field of vision.
- Gonioscopy A small volume of turbid liquid in the frontal chamber can be determined.
- Ophthalmoscopy Examination of the fundus of the eye is carried out in order to study the state of the retina and optic disc to assess the reversibility of visual disturbance.
- Tonometry. The pressure inside the eye increases a second time in patients with a history of damage to the uveal tract.
Healing
How is red eye syndrome treated? The leading role in the healing of this pathology is played by etiotropic therapy, which is performed to eliminate the clinical manifestations of the underlying ailment. Surgical interventions are effective for traumatic defects of the eyeball and dacryocystitis.
In early childhood, doctors recommend performing a probe of the nasolacrimal duct. Conservative therapy is based on the use of:
- Antibacterial medication. Before taking a course of antibiotic therapy, the doctor must study the sensitivity of the pathogen to the drug used (antibioticogram). Frequent instillations of drugs are recommended (at least 6-8 times a day). In severe cases, systemic antibiotic therapy is used.
- Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs (NSAIDs). Used to stop signs of inflammation, reduce pain and manifestations of edema.
- Glucocorticosteroids. Instillations of hormonal medications are prescribed if NSAIDs are ineffective. With idiopathic variation of the disease, glucocorticosteroids are strictly prohibited.
- Midriatikov. It is used in individuals with iridocyclitis to normalize dynamics within the eye and dilate the pupil. The expediency of using this group of drugs for the prevention of pupillary fusion has been proven.
- Vitamin Therapy. Vitamins of group P, A and C are used in addition to basic healing.
- Antiseptic solutions. Antiseptic solutions are used to wash the conjunctival cavity in order to eliminate pathological masses.
- Antihistamines. Prescribed with the allergic nature of the disease in the form of drops. In case of systemic allergy, intramuscular administration or oral administration is indicated.
Have you read the book Red Eye Syndrome? Maychuk D. Yu. (MD) edited this very useful work, which clearly describes the most famous ailments that every ophthalmologist faces in their practice. The authors of this manual made clear recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of lesions of the ocular surface. It is useful for everyone to study them.
Folk medicine
To treat red eye syndrome, you can use these folk remedies:
- ice cubes;
- cool compresses with herbal infusions of oak bark or chamomile or with clean water;
- raw potato slices;
- lotions with black tea.
Remember that folk remedies can be used only when there are no signs of a dangerous ophthalmic pathology. Using them, you can eliminate redness of the eyelids and swelling, easily and quickly relieve eye strain, normalize blood circulation through the eye capillaries.
You can also perform gymnastics for the eyes:
- If you often have to stare at the monitor for a long time, then hourly you need to “draw” with your eyes the contours of various objects placed on the wall or table.
- The eye muscle during hard work requires rest. To do this, go to the window, look into the distance, and after a couple of seconds take a look at any nearby point. This exercise promotes the production of tear fluid that moisturizes your eyes and they will not be red and dry.
Prevention and prognosis
The prognosis for working ability and life is favorable. No specific preventive measures have been established. Standard prevention comes down to observing canons of eye hygiene, preventing contact of toxic substances and dust with the conjunctiva.
Those with an ophthalmologic burdened history should be examined a couple of times a year by an ophthalmologist with a mandatory microbiopsy of the eyes. For those who work in production, doctors recommend the use of private protective equipment (masks, glasses). For prevention, instillations of moisturizing drugs, synthetic tear preparations are prescribed.
Syndrome in dogs and cats
Is there a red eye syndrome in a dog? Yes, sometimes. Veterinarians-ophthalmologists in their practice often encounter this phenomenon. Also, red eye syndrome and in cats can be found. This ailment in animals occurs for many reasons - due to erosion, keratitis, conjunctivitis, anterior uveitis, glaucoma, injuries of various origins, corneal ulcers and other things. The eyeball can redden as a result of transferred infectious ailments, and with somatic diseases.
In many cases of the syndrome we are considering, the beast is in danger: it can either go blind in one eye, or even lose it.
In case of lacrimation, enlargement of the eyeball, redness of the eye, red eyelids, various discharge from the conjunctive zone, squinting of the eye, if the animal scratches its eyes with a paw or rubs them on objects, you should immediately consult an ophthalmologist.
First Aid Pet
If you do not have the opportunity to immediately go to the veterinarian, flush the eye with an ophthalmic solution. It can be Vitabakt or Diamond Eyes, or Okomistin.
No need to use ointments, which contain corticosteroids. This will prevent the doctor from revealing the real clinical picture. The use of corneal protectors is allowed. An animal can be successfully cured if treatment is started as early as possible.