Red Eyes - Should You Visit an Eye Doctor Now?

1. Red Eyes – Should You Visit an Eye Doctor? trilliumeyecare.com/blog/red-eyes-should-you-visit-an-eye-doctor-jacksonville/ April 9, 2018 April 9th, 2018 By trilliumeyecare A complaint we often receive as an eye doctor’s office in Jacksonville is redness, and how to manage and alleviate the symptoms often associated with red eyes. Weather and seasonal changes can often lead to many red eye cases and other changes to your vision; allergies, dry eye and other problems can all be a result of these changes. Treating Red Eyes varies greatly based on what the cause is varying from infection to injury to allergies. We will walk you through how the following items can cause your eyes to become red and irritated: Common Causes of Red Eyes Conjunctivitis (or pink eye) is one of the most common and contagious causes of red eyes This is an inflammation of the outermost layer of the eye, it can be bacterial, viral, or allergic; it can mean watery, red, itchy eyes sometimes with discharge. Visiting an eye doctor is your best plan of action to determine what type of conjunctivitis you may be suffering from and stop it from spreading! 1/3

2. Dry Eyes When the tear glands in the eye do not produce enough, or poor-quality tears it can lead to chronic dry eye causing redness due to the inflammation and irritation. An eye doctor can help prescribe artificial tears and care plans to alleviate the symptoms and side-effects that come with chronic dry eye. Related: What is Dry Eye Syndrome? Allergies When your body suspects a foreign object or threat it releases a chemical called histamine as a defense mechanism; Histamine causes redness and watering by enlarging the blood vessels in the eye. Taking an antihistamine or allergy eye drop as recommended by your optometrist are helpful ways to reduce the redness caused by allergies. Your eye doctor will be able to suggest the best possible plan of action to manage your eye allergy symptoms! Related: Important Tips to Keep Your Eyes Protected From Allergies Computer Vision Syndrome (CVT) When you stare at your computer for extended periods of time, you tend to blink less; this results in dry, red eyes causing digital eye strain. Wearing eyeglasses prescribed by your optometrist specifically for computer use can help with managing your symptoms of digital eyestrain, as well as taking plenty of small breaks while working on your computer. Corneal Ulcer Caused by an untreated eye infection or injury; leading to eye pain, discharge and reduced vision. Corneal ulcers are an eye emergency that need to be treated by an eye doctor immediately, if left untreated it can be a serious threat to your sight and eye health! Glaucoma In most cases Glaucoma develops slowly overtime, however in rare cases a sudden onset of red, painful accompanied by halos, loss of vision and nausea could mean a type of glaucoma called acute-angle closure glaucoma Related: What is Glaucoma – Causes & Treatment by an Optometrist? Family history of glaucoma creates an increased risk for developing it over time; annual comprehensive eye exams with your eye doctor are recommended to keep an eye on any changes to eye pressure signaling onset of glaucoma. Eye Injury In response to the injury your body dilates the blood vessels in the eye to allow 2/3

3. more blood to flow to the area; this in turn can cause some breakage leading to bloodshot or red eyes. Injuries can be minor scratches or more serious abrasions to the front surface of the eye; visit an optometrist immediately to treat any eye injury to avoid any possible infection. Uveitis Inflammation of the middle layer of the eye (or the uvea) which can be caused by another eye infection or injury; it can cause redness, visual disturbances and light sensitivity. Visit an eye doctor near you to avoid very serious side-effects such as cataracts, retinal detachment and increased eye pressure leading to loss of vision. Other infections of the eye such as ocular herpes This infection can lead to corneal scars if not treated immediately by an optometrist in some cases leading to the need for corneal replacement surgery. These are just some of the reasons our patients decide to make an appointment with our eye doctors for a check-up or comprehensive eye exam. Taking a proactive approach with your eye health and scheduling annual eye exams are integral in ensuring healthy vision lifelong! How an Eye Doctor Treat Red Eyes: To treat your red eyes your eye doctor will first have to determine the cause of them by completing an eye exam to assess the situation; Treatment options can be as simple as warm compresses or eye drops to more vigorous treatment such as antibiotics. Seasonal and other weather changes can lead to red eyes and other vision issues visiting your eye doctor for annual eye exams to screen for all the above is your best defense in maintaining healthy vision! How Can I Find an Eye Doctor Near Me? When looking for an eye doctor near me consider visiting Trillium Eye Care – Optometrist in Jacksonville. With years of experience and a wide range of contact lenses and glasses, it becomes far easier to have your eyes checked and vision improved with us. Schedule your comprehensive eye exam with our Jacksonville Optometrists today! Share this article 3/3