Redness of the eyes is an unpleasant situation from both an aesthetic and physiological point of view. It may be accompanied by itching, burning and pain in the visual organs, photophobia, and a sensation of a foreign body in the eye.
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As a rule, redness occurs when small vessels on the surface of the sclera (the white membrane of the eye) dilate. It is not a disease in itself, but can be a consequence of fatigue due to increased visual stress, or a symptom of a disease. Red eyes occur not only in adults, but also in children. The disease often accompanies people who spend a lot of time at the computer or with mobile devices.
Eye redness drops will help get rid of unpleasant sensations and restore clarity of vision. However, it is worth keeping in mind that this disorder occurs for various reasons. Therefore, drops should be selected based on the cause of redness. And do not forget about the need to consult an ophthalmologist
. The specialist will determine what causes the redness and prescribe treatment based on your health.
Causes of red eyes
There are a number of reasons that provoke dilation of blood vessels on the surface of the sclera. This is first of all:
- eye strain caused by prolonged work with documents, reading in poor lighting, or spending many hours in front of a monitor;
- external irritants - wind in the face, ultraviolet radiation, low temperature;
- getting dust, sand, or any foreign bodies into the eye;
- long stay in a room in which the air conditioner operates - it dries the air, and the itching and burning sensation in the eyes may be due to the fact that the mucous membrane is not sufficiently moistened;
- allergic reactions – to plant pollen, house and office dust, animal hair;
- long driving at night;
- the use of low-quality cosmetics, mascara, eye shadow or the use of cosmetics in too large quantities;
- exposure to tobacco smoke;
- alcohol abuse;
- various eye diseases, such as glaucoma, scleritis or conjunctivitis.
Mobile gadgets can cause red eyes
Separately, it is worth noting the redness of the eyes that occurs when wearing contact lenses. This symptom is especially typical for those who have just started using lenses - this is how the body reacts to a foreign body in the eye. As you get used to it, the problem will disappear, but if you wear lenses for a long time and the redness does not go away, this is a serious reason to seek medical help.
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Redness also appears in cases where you do not properly care for your lenses, do not pay enough attention to cleaning them, and do not replace them on time. Wearing contact lenses for long periods of time during the day can also cause vasodilation, which is manifested by redness. Take breaks and give your eyes a break from the lenses.
Prevention
The basic rules for the prevention of visual pathologies are obvious and understandable.
It has long been known that the eyes are the mirror of the soul. However, the organs of vision are not only a mirror, but also a door to all kinds of external irritants: diseases, microparticles, dirty and dry air and low-quality cosmetics.
Therefore, in order to maintain health, beauty and the ability to see, it is better to follow the general recommendations:
- Balance work and rest. You need to understand that social networks and computer games are not relaxation, but rather work for your eyes, so it is better to find time in your busy schedule for a regular walk in the park.
- Choose monitors with protection, and lenses and glasses with suppression of computer influence.
- Contact optics must be stored correctly and changed promptly.
- Decorative cosmetics and creams must be fresh and anti-allergenic. To prevent infections, it is better to protect the face area from foreign bacteria as much as possible; it is not recommended to use other people’s things
- Fresh food, with a sufficient amount of vitamins, microelements and healthy acids, is the key to health.
- Buy drops for eye pain to eliminate unpleasant symptoms as they arise. In this case, Gilan ophthalmic solution is well suited.
Recommendations for selection
The most important thing: the remedy for eye redness is selected in accordance with the specific reason due to which the scleral vessels dilate. This means that you cannot do without contacting an ophthalmologist. Only he can make an accurate diagnosis and tell you why your eyes are red. The specialist conducts not only a visual examination, but also biomicroscopy - examination using a special microscope. If necessary, he does additional tests to evaluate the functioning of the tear glands.
In addition, many drops have contraindications. For example, not all products are suitable for children and pregnant women. Individual intolerance to the components included in their composition is also possible.
If the drops recommended by your doctor seem too expensive to you, do not look for a budget replacement on your own, discuss a possible alternative with a specialist.
The ophthalmologist will find the cause of eye redness and prescribe appropriate treatment with drops
Perhaps you need not just drops, but several varieties of them. In this case, they need to be instilled into the eyes one at a time, with an interval of at least 10 minutes.
If there is no suspicion of a serious pathology, and the discomfort is not constant, you can independently choose moisturizing drops for eye redness. They imitate natural tears and help relieve dryness.
Even if you do not have a serious eye disease, you should use the drops if you:
- spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen;
- you read a lot;
- wear makeup often;
- wear contact lenses.
There are manufacturers who produce solutions in disposable dropper tubes. They are simple and convenient to use, and you can always carry them with you or take them on trips, so that if redness occurs due to overwork, you can quickly solve the problem.
Demodicosis of the eyelids - what is this disease and how is it treated?
Demodicosis in some classifications is considered as one of the varieties of blepharitis, when it becomes the result of a mite of the genus Demodex, the glandular acne, getting under the skin of the eyelids. Getting under the skin of the eyelids into the sebaceous glands or eyelash follicles, the mite parasitizes and feeds on dead skin cells. This parasite belongs to the group of opportunistic microorganisms. This means that it can be present in the body for a long time without manifesting itself. As soon as a person has a slight cold or hypothermia, the acne worm begins to attack. The eyelid affected by the parasite begins to become inflamed. Quite often, the inflammatory process covers not only the eyelids, but also the mucous membrane of the eye. The patient's eyes itch, the eyelids swell, the eyelashes fall out, a purulent crust forms along the edge of the eyelid, and the skin in this area peels off. A stye may also appear. As the disease progresses, the above symptoms are accompanied by photophobia, tearfulness, yellow secretion, and the formation of blisters with pus in the area of the eyelash bulbs. The mite secretes substances that are allergens. This causes the skin around the eye to break out in a rash.
What kind of drops are there?
Drops for eye redness are an ophthalmic solution, the composition of which is selected in such a way as to solve problems with blood vessels caused by specific reasons. Therefore, all funds are divided into several groups.
Gilan drops imitate natural tears
Moisturizing compositions are necessary for constant visual work, especially with high load, as well as when wearing contact lenses. As mentioned above, they imitate natural tears and moisturize the surface of the eyes, helping to get rid of burning and itching, reducing the negative impact of external factors. Moisturizing drops can be used as needed, daily, up to 5-6 times a day.
Drops that constrict blood vessels and help relieve swelling are also recommended for increased visual stress. Thanks to them, the small capillaries located in the tunica albuginea narrow, and the redness disappears, and the eye looks white again. Vasoconstrictor drops can be used no more than 1-2 times a week. Regular use of such drugs can lead to undesirable consequences, for example, disruption of the nutrition of the eye structures and increased intraocular pressure. In addition, drugs in this group are addictive.
Preparations "Systane Ultra" and "Systane Ultra Plus" allow you to quickly relieve redness
An ophthalmologist prescribes antihistamine and anti-inflammatory solutions if the cause of eye redness is an allergic reaction. They help cope with vasodilation, as well as itching and increased tearing. In severe cases of allergies, hormonal solutions help.
Often the cause of red eyes is an infection. In this case, it is necessary to use antibacterial drugs.
Artelak Splash eye drops effectively combat dry eyes
For ARVI, influenza and herpes virus, antiviral drops can be prescribed. Vitamin complexes are used to maintain eye health. These are general strengthening drugs that can be used for preventive purposes. But they won't help if your eyes are already red.
The following medications are used to combat eye redness:
- “Systein Ultra”, “Gilan” and “Artelak Splash” are drops that imitate natural tear fluid. This type of medication is prescribed in cases where redness is caused by dry eyes;
- “Okumetil” and Innoxa are drops that have a vasoconstrictor and anti-edematous effect. Recommended in cases where redness is caused by high visual stress;
- "Dexa-Gentamicin" is an antibiotic that is prescribed for infections of the anterior segment of the eye, allergies accompanied by bacterial infection, and for preventive purposes after operations on the visual organ;
- "Floxal" - antimicrobial medicinal drops that are used for infectious and inflammatory diseases of the eye.
Any medications should be used only as prescribed by a specialist. Self-medication can only worsen existing problems!
Diagnostics
An ophthalmologist or therapist is involved in identifying the cause of the symptom if the unpleasant feeling when it hurts the eyes is a consequence of a respiratory disease.
The diagnosis is made based on:
- Conversations with the patient and identification of hereditary factors, existing chronic diseases and additional symptoms that may seem subtle.
- Examination of the patient using an ophthalmoscope. The method allows you to study the condition of the vessels of the fundus, retina, and cornea.
- Checking the patient's vision.
- Laboratory tests, in particular scraping from the surface of the conjunctiva.
- Basic health check: appointment for general blood and urine tests. Measurement of temperature and blood pressure.
Treatment of conjunctivitis: how can an ophthalmologist help?
The doctor chooses a treatment strategy depending on the type of conjunctivitis. The disease is treated with medications, rinses and physiotherapy.
Medicines
In case of allergic conjunctivitis, it is necessary to establish the cause and stop contact with the allergen. At the same time, anti-allergy and decongestant drugs, drops to relieve inflammation, vitamins and other general health-improving agents are prescribed.
Bacterial conjunctivitis is treated with antibiotics. They are simultaneously prescribed internally and externally, the course is usually 7-14 days. The infectious type is treated with antiviral, immunostimulating and bactericidal drugs of local (drops, ointments, gels) or general action.
Drug therapy for eye fungi is complex and includes local and general antifungal and immunostrengthening agents. In special cases, IVs are placed.
For injuries or burns, the doctor will prescribe wound-healing, decongestant, antimicrobial agents in the form of drops, sprays, etc. For severe cases of any type of conjunctivitis, a course of injections may be prescribed.
Washing
With conjunctivitis, it is extremely important to maintain good hygiene, so the course of treatment includes frequent eye rinsing. For this purpose, solutions, herbal decoctions with a disinfecting effect, or simply clean water are prescribed.
To carry out the procedure, there are special containers (small oval-shaped glasses) and devices (syringes, bulbs, etc.).
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy for conjunctivitis involves the administration of drugs using physical methods - current (electrophoresis), laser (laser phoresis), magnet (magnetophoresis), ultrasound (phonophoresis), etc.
Use solutions with anti-allergenic, anti-edematous, antiseptic, wound-healing, softening, anti-inflammatory effects.
