🌃 📱 ♋️ Redness of the eyes: causes and treatment 🚦 📚 🤵🏽

When there is a redness of the eyes, we often can hear the expression "burst vessels." It is worth remembering, for this we need very serious reasons. This does not happen so often, but redness is a common phenomenon, for which there are many reasons, ranging from various diseases to the usual physiological factors that are transient.

If redness is chronic, it can be a signal of an allergy, a reaction to contact lenses, and even an infectious process. Self-medication is dangerous because eyes and their visual function are quite vulnerable things.

Sometimes reddening of the eyes can be caused by heavy physical exercise and stress, even a severe cough, in which minor hemorrhages may appear. Usually, with further favorable factors, the redness passes spontaneously and no action is necessary.

If the ailment is of a continuous nature and there are no established provoking factors, then you need to see an ophthalmologist.

Consider the main causes of eye redness.

Causes

This symptom can lead to:

Conjunctivitis. It is a process of inflammation of the outer shell of the eyes. It can be both allergic and bacterial or viral in nature. In the latter case, the disease is contagious.

Etiologically determined types of conjunctivitis have slightly different clinical symptoms and may require different approaches to treatment, since incorrectly selected drugs for treatment can only aggravate the course of the disease and lead to complications.

An ophthalmologist prescribes treatment, but it is also important to follow the rules of personal and household hygiene. It is also recommended not to get into the eyes with your hands, otherwise it is fraught with the spread of infection further.

Blepharitis is another ophthalmic disease that is accompanied by redness of the eyes. It can also be of a different nature. There are allergic, ulcerative and seborrheic.
Redness of the eyes can be caused by pathological conditions of the cornea, inflammatory processes of the lining of the eye, poisoning by poisons and chemicals, as well as a number of autoimmune diseases.
There are situations of non-infectious origin, when the vessels actually burst. Usually these are quite serious pathological conditions, chronic and acute diseases in the form of pathologies of the vascular system and blood, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, etc. What other causes of eye redness can be?
Also, blood vessels can burst due to a head injury. Sometimes a trivial fall and a hit on a hard surface can cause not only a head injury, but also a bruise under the eye, and accordingly, injure blood vessels in the eye. With hemorrhages caused by injuries, the appearance of the eye can not be confused with anything. Usually, everything heals safely, however, it is not worth letting it drift, you must definitely see a doctor in order to avoid adverse consequences.
Redness of the eyes due to vasodilation can occur due to chronic lack of sleep or lack of sleep for a long time, as well as with alcohol.
There are cases when the pattern of one or several vessels is clearly visible on the eye protein. Usually in such cases we are talking about the anatomical features of the structure of the eye. If at the same time there is no tendency to increase areas or redness, then there is no cause for concern. It is useless to treat.
Episcleritis, an inflammatory process of the connective tissue, may be the cause of redness in the eye protein. The disease most often affects women from 30 to 40 years old. The causes can be both infectious (tuberculosis, herpes, rosacea), and non-infectious in nature (ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis). It is not worthwhile to make yourself the appropriate diagnosis at the slightest redness. This disease is accompanied not only by redness, but also by pain, especially with pressure on the eyelid.
Redness of the eye in an adult can be triggered by a disease such as keratitis or iridocyclitis - an inflammatory process of the iris. The eyes do not just blush, but tear appears, followed by the development of photophobia and pain. These diseases are quite dangerous and require immediate consultation with a doctor.
In addition to the above, reddening of blood vessels in the eyes can cause banal hypothermia, as well as allergic reactions, foreign bodies entering the eye, and prolonged crying.
A sharp reddening of the eyes can cause an acute attack of glaucoma. With it, an increase in eye pressure occurs very sharply.
Reduced blood coagulation is also a possible cause of redness in the eyes.
Dry mucous membranes of the eyes also often lead to redness. The causes of dryness can be air in a poorly ventilated area, cigarette smoke.
Toxicosis in pregnant women can also cause redness of the eye proteins.
Prolonged eyestrain, reading, working at a computer are also among the causes of redness.

Allergic conjunctivitis: causes

Particular attention should be paid to the allergic form of conjunctivitis due to the increasing prevalence of allergic phenomena in the modern world and the emergence of new allergens.

Allergic conjunctivitis is said to be when an allergy covers the mucous membrane of the eyes. A very characteristic symptom is a severe insurmountable itch, which not only does not bring relief, but also intensifies the more you rub your eyes.

The main allergic irritants are:

pollen of many plants;
pet hair and dandruff;
cosmetics, more precisely, some of the components that make up the composition;
medicines, especially for local use;
components of household chemicals.

Allergic signs in the eyes are hard to miss. They are manifested by redness and swelling of the eyelids, lacrimation, itching, irritation and peeling of the skin of the eyelids and even around the eyes. Symptoms are often accompanied by respiratory reactions such as nasal congestion, sore throat, and sneezing.

Allergic conjunctivitis treatment

If the exposure time of the allergen is not significant, then, most likely, allergic manifestations, in turn, will not be long. But it’s better to clarify what exactly could have caused an allergic reaction. If allergic manifestations persistently continue to bother a person, you should consult a doctor.

Allergists recommend that any newly acquired cosmetics must be pre-tested on the skin, it is better to do this on the skin of the forearms. What drops for eyes from fatigue and redness to choose?

Medicines

The modern pharmaceutical industry provides a wide range of treatments for allergic conjunctivitis. The main treatment tactic is to identify the allergen and eliminate contact with it. Further, the allergic reaction is stopped with antihistamines (Zodak, Zirtek, Suprastin, Fenistil, etc.). Their choice is huge. If necessary, special creams based on corticosteroids (Advantan cream) can be applied to the skin around the eyes. Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis also involves eye instillation with drugs such as Lecrolin, Opantol.

Allergic dermatitis

An allergic reaction to the eyes often manifests itself in the form of dermatitis. Common causes of this phenomenon are either the use of cosmetics or the treatment of ophthalmic diseases. A distinctive feature of the pathology is that the area of symptoms (edema, redness, rash) is slightly higher than the area that had contact with the allergen substance.

Dry Eye Syndrome (Xerophthalmia)

Xerophthalmia is one of the causes of redness, dryness, irritation, and itching in the eyes. They arise due to insufficient production of tear fluid in certain diseases (thyroid gland pathologies, lymphoma, Sjogren's disease). Symptoms of the disease are similar to signs of conjunctivitis, however, the treatment in this case is to eliminate common diseases or prescribe eye drops that complement or replace lacrimation.

Reasons to visit a doctor

Above, we examined situations where redness can have a completely harmless nature, and when it can be a signal of a beginning pathology.

Below we will try to systematize cases when a visit to the doctor should not be postponed:

Penetrating wound, after which the eye (s) reddened sharply.
Redness of the eyes, accompanied by a violation of visual perception, as well as phenomena in the form of nausea, vomiting, headache.
Redness of the eyes, accompanied by pain.
Redness of the eyes occurred while taking medications that are prescribed to thin the blood.
When you look at the light, a light ring appears.
Against the background of redness of the eyes, photophobia or increased photosensitivity appeared.
Contact with a foreign body caused red eyes.
Purulent discharge is observed.

The causes and treatment of redness of the eye are interrelated.

Treatment

Below we will consider how to eliminate and prevent redness of the eyes that is not related to diseases of an ophthalmic, allergic and infectious nature.

Use vasoconstrictor drops for eye redness, such as Vizin, Okumetil, Octilia, etc. It is important to note that they should not be abused, as well as vasoconstrictor drops in the nose. Frequent and prolonged use leads to the development of addiction, which, in turn, causes weakening of the walls of blood vessels. This, in turn, only exacerbates the situation, since it turns out that the vessels are constantly in an expanded state. Drops from redness of the eyes cease to act.
You can narrow the vessels by such means as applying ice, compresses, special exercises, massage. Cooling procedures are not harmful and have a good vasoconstrictor effect. You can make cold baths, apply ice or a cold handkerchief - all this for literally a few minutes. Compresses can be made from tea or herbal decoctions: a cotton pad is moistened in the decoction and applied to the eye. And so several times. Tea should preferably be taken with large leaves, without additives or flavorings.
No matter how corny it sounds, but proper and balanced nutrition is an important guarantee of endurance and a healthy looking eye. The benefits of fresh vegetables and fruits have been said and said a lot. Red, yellow, orange and green fruits and vegetables are especially useful for the eyes: carrots, greens, cabbage of all kinds, oranges, tomatoes. The pharmacy chain also has a large number of vitamin and mineral preparations for eye health.
There are a number of simple but effective eye exercises that can be done even at work. They are recommended especially for those whose work involves the continuous use of a computer. Here are some examples: in a relaxed state, sharply glance in different directions (to the right, left, up and down); circular movements of the eyes both clockwise and counterclockwise; sharply shift your gaze from the subject in the distance to the subject near.
Massage, for example, stroking the movements of the eyelids with the help of circular rotations. It is enough to just close your eyes and hold your hands to them. In this position, stay a few minutes.

As we noted above, lack of sleep is one of the main enemies of a healthy looking eye. The recommended duration of night sleep, during which the mucous membrane of the eyes has the ability to recover, is 7-8 hours.
Rest in the daytime also has an important role. In one of the previous paragraphs, we noted that continuous work at the computer creates eyestrain. The eyes just need a break of 10-15 minutes every hour. If such luxury is not available during working hours, then even 5 minutes is better than nothing at all.
It is very important to protect your eyes from the harmful effects. Excess ultraviolet radiation is harmful to the eyes and to the eye as a whole. It is recommended to wear sun glasses with UV protection. It is better to buy them in optics, and not where you have to.
For women, an important recommendation is the obligatory removal of makeup before bedtime.
Contact lens owners need to take care of them and adhere to the rules of hygiene in accordance with all the rules, without ignoring any points. Consider what leads to reddening of the eyelids of the eye in childhood.

Causes in children

Separately, it is worth considering the causes of eye redness in a child. In many ways, they are not very different from those characteristic of adults. However, there may be some particularities, as children are much more sensitive to many annoying, traumatic, and pathological factors.

Overfatigue, prolonged eye strain, fatigue, including chronic - such causes are often found in school-age children.
Traumatic eye damage - often entail redness and swelling.
"Mote in the eye" - a foreign body or just dust or dirt.
Infections of bacterial and viral origin.
Dacryocystitis is a disease characteristic of infants. It represents a blockage of the lacrimal canal, which appears due to insufficient development of the lacrimal canal.
Conjunctivitis (bacterial, viral, allergic). Very often, inflammation of the eye and redness accompany SARS.
Ophthalmic diseases, such as blepharitis, glaucoma, etc.
Anemia, vitamin deficiency - can also cause a slight reddening of the eye proteins.

Treatment and prevention measures for red eyes in children

First you need to find out the causes of reddening of the eyes. If ophthalmic diseases are excluded, then it is worth paying attention to the following factors:

Assess the degree of load on the child, reduce the time and number of activities requiring prolonged eye strain. It is also necessary to monitor the nutritional value of the child, observe the sleep and rest regimen. The duration of night sleep should not be less than 9-10 hours for schoolchildren.
It is important to observe hygiene measures, to ensure that older babies and children do not rub their eyes with dirty hands, to exclude contact with patients with conjunctivitis.
To avoid redness of the eyes from fatigue, you need to minimize the time at the computer and TV.
Eye strain can be caused by improper lighting in the room. Both too bright and dim lighting can cause eye strain.

If these measures are not enough, you may need to consult an ophthalmologist who can prescribe eye drops and ointments.

Ophthalmic diseases require an individual approach and in some cases may require the appointment of quite serious drugs and surgical interventions for redness around the eyes.

Here are just a few examples:

Obstruction of the lacrimal canal involves the use of antibacterial drops and regular massage.
Allergic reactions suggest the use of antihistamines.
Rinsing with furatsilinom or chamomile broth may be required.
Some ophthalmic pathologies, such as blepharitis, require a long and complex treatment.

It is important to remember that any manifestation of redness in the eyes of a child should not be left without parental attention. Do not write off everything on fatigue and overwork. You can skip the beginning of a disease, in the early stages of treatment for redness of the eyes is much more effective.

Redness of the eyes: causes and treatment