Bloodshot Eyes
Bloodshot eyes are something that will happen to many of us in our lives. Our eyes become itchy, dry, sore and extremely unbearable. There are many reasons why you may have red eyes, here are a few of them to help you figure out why you may be suffering.
Dry Environment Being in an environment where the air dry and lacking moisture can cause eyes to become red. It often happens when air conditioning is used such as in an office. The dry air lacks moisture so the eyes cannot get lubricated, this in turn causes the surface of the eye to become dry. Then when you blink the eye lid rubs against the surface of the eye causing friction and irritation.
Allergies Allergies are most common in the summer months when pollen counts are high, the main causes are dust, pollen and animal hair. Allergies that affect the eyes are usually airborne, this is why allergies to food do not affect the eyes. From 30%-50% of Americans suffer with allergies and about 75% of those people suffer from allergies in the eyes. When your body thinks something harmful may be in the eye it produces more tears to try to get rid of the enemy, it also causes the blood vessel to get larger to help fight off the intruder. This is why you may see your eyes getting red due to allergies.
Conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the mucous membrane that is covering the white of the eye. It often occurs following a cold, the infection can spread from person to person very quickly. It is often better to avoid close contact with other people when this occurs, this includes not sharing towels or bed-clothes. Not Enough Sleep Like the rest of your body your eyes need to rest, when they don’t rest they get tired and irritable. If you don’t sleep as much as you should your eyes may seem red and inflamed or sometimes even swollen. A good nights rest will cure this and give your eyes time to lubricate themselves again. Damage To The Eyes If you have recently damaged your eye either by cutting it or hurting it in any way then this can cause eye redness, the eye reacts by increasing the blood flow into the eyes to help the healing process. This could be a serious problem so it should be check out by the doctor so that no serious damage is done.
Glaucoma Glaucoma is a very serious eye problem that can result in blindness if not treated. There is a canal in the eye designed to clear excess fluid, if this canal malfunctions there is no place for the fluid to go and pressure builds up behind the eye. This can damage the optic nerve and cause a great amount of pain. Other symptoms of glaucoma are headaches, blind spots, blurred vision and eye pain. It is a serious problem that should treated by a professional.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should get help straight away.
Most of the time red eyes will go away in a couple of days but if you are worried or the problem persists it would be beneficial for you to seek professional help.
