| Alternative Names:
|
| Bloodshot eyes; Red eyes; Scleral injection; Conjunctival injection.
|
| Home Care:
|
|
For fatigue or eyestrain, try to rest your eyes. No treatment is necessary.
If you have conjunctivitis:
- Avoid touching the infected eye and then rubbing the other eye -- the infection can spread from one eye to the other.
- Apply cool or warm compresses throughout the day.
- Over-the-counter homeopathic eye drops may provide relief.
- Do not use eye makeup or wear contact lenses until the infection has cleared. Throw away items like these that you used in your infected eye.
- Wash your hands frequently.
If you have blepharitis:
- Apply warm compresses to your eyes for 5 minutes. Do this at least 2 times per day.
- Using a cotton swab, gently rub a solution of warm water and no-tears baby shampoo along your eyelid, where the lash meets the lid. Do this in the morning and before you go to bed.
|
| Call your health care provider if:
|
|
Go to the hospital or call 911 if:
- Your eye is red after a penetrating injury.
- You have a headache along with blurred vision or confusion.
- You are seeing halos around lights.
- You have nausea and vomiting.
Call your doctor if:
- Your eyes are red longer than 1-2 days.
- You have eye pain or vision changes.
- You take blood thinning medication, like warfarin.
- You may have an object in your eye.
- You are very sensitive to light.
- You have a yellow or greenish discharge from one or both eyes.
|
| What to expect at your health care provider's office:
|
|
Your doctor will take your medical history and perform a physical examination which will include a detailed eye exam.
To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your doctor will ask medical history questions, such as:
- Are both of your eyes affected? If only one eye, which one?
- What part of the eye is affected -- the white part, or elsewhere?
- Did the redness come on suddenly?
- Have you ever had eye redness before?
- Do you have eye pain? Does it get worse after movement of the eyes?
- Do you have other symptoms like eye discharge, burning or itching? Nausea or vomiting? A headache?
The eyes may need irrigation with normal saline solution, and any foreign bodies will need to be removed. Eye drops may be prescribed.
|
| Prevention:
|
|
To prevent conjunctivitis:
- DO NOT share anything that has touched the eye of someone with this contagious condition -- like pillowcases, sheets, towels, or eyeliner.
- Wash your hands right away if you have come in contact with someone with conjunctivitis.
- Wash out any chemicals or objects from your eye immediately.
|
