Content

• Steps

Red eyes are a common and bothersome health problem. If your eyes are itchy, red, and dry, you need to learn how to quickly clean them with a few ingredients and change certain behaviors that may cause redness. If you have chronic red eyes or you have symptoms of a serious problem, seek medical attention to help reduce your redness.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Treatment of red eyes

1. 

   Rest your eyes. Rest is the best remedy for red eyes caused by causes such as corneal scratches, lack of sleep, eye strain due to long looking at a computer screen, too much exposure to sunlight, long trips. You should sleep more, limit looking at the computer screen, television, reading and using the phone.Instead, you can listen to the radio or listen to reading books. If you can't stop your eyes for a whole day, try to give your eyes a little rest.
   • If you read a book or work with a computer, stop working every 15 minutes and look at another object in the distance for 30 seconds. The change of focus helps to relax the eye muscles.
   • Every 2 hours, you should stop looking at the screen for 15 minutes to relax your eyes. It is possible to walk, exercise, eat a snack or make a short phone call to avoid looking at the computer screen or phone.

2. 

   
   
   Use eye drops or artificial tears. If you experience redness from time to time, you can relieve it by using eye drops (sometimes called artificial tears). The eye drops are available at pharmacies and are reasonably priced. Eye drops help lubricate and clean the eyes, reducing redness and irritation. Eye drops come in 4 types:
   • Contains preservatives - Preservatives like benzalkonium chloride, oliexetonium, polyhexamethylene biguanide, polyquad, purite, and sodium perborate (GenAqua) prevent bacteria from growing but can also irritate the eyes. If your eyes are sensitive or you want to use eye drops for a long time, avoid buying preservatives.
   • Free from preservatives - Systane, GenTeal, Refresh, Thera Tears, and Bausch & Lomb are all preservative-free eye drops.
   • For people wearing contact lenses - If you wear contact lenses, look for specially designed eye drops.
   • Whitening Eye Drops - Do not use whitening eye drops such as Visine, Clear Eyes, and All Clear as they will make your eyes redder over time.

3. 

   
   
   Consider using an eye gel if your eyes are too dry. Gels and ointments are thicker and more effective than eye drops, but may also cause the eyes to fade for a while. Therefore, gels and ointments should only be used before bedtime to prevent night dry eyes.
   • Use a hot compress or use a gentle soap around your eyelids before applying gels or lotions. This will help prevent the glands and pipes from clogging.
   • Do not use gels and ointments if diagnosed with Meibomian gland disease.

4. 

   
   
   Take allergy medicine. Seasonal allergies, pet allergies, and environmental allergies can all cause red eyes. Allergies appear with symptoms such as itching and watery eyes, usually worst in the morning. There are two reasons: first, sleeping in a home with the allergen will keep you exposed to the allergen for a long time; Second, seasonal allergies are usually worst in the morning when there is a lot of pollen in the air. How to deal with allergies:
   • Take antihistamines such as Cetirizine (Zyrtec), Desloratadine (Clarinex), Fexofenadine (Allegra), Levocetirizine (Xyzal), or Loratadine (Claritin).
   • Use antihistamine or anti-inflammatory eye drops, such as Azelastine (Optivar), Emedastine (Emadine), Ketotifen (Alaway, Zaditor), or Olopatadine (Pataday, Patanol).
   • Keep windows closed during allergy season to reduce allergen exposure.
   • Keep pets away from the bedroom, especially the bed.
   • Use an indoor air purifier to reduce allergens.

5. 

   Wash eyes. Eye wash helps to remove any irritants that cause redness from your eyes. Eye wash also helps to moisturize and cool the eyes. You can rinse your eyes with warm water by running lukewarm water down your eyes, using an eyewash cup or standing in a shower with warm water running down your eyes (don't spray directly into your eyes). For added effect, you can use a special eye wash:
   • Boil one cup of distilled water.
   • Add in 1 teaspoon of the eyebright herb, chamomile or ground cumin seeds.
   • Turn off the heat, cover and let the herbs stand for 30 minutes.
   • Use a coffee filter to filter the solution into a sterile jar.
   • You can keep the eye wash in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

6. 

   Place a warm compress on your eyelids. Eyelid inflammation can interfere with the circulation of moisturizing oils to the eyes. A warm compress will help release the oil tube. First, place a clean, dry towel under warm running water until it is wet, then squeeze out the water. Next, fold the towel in half and place it over the eyes (close your eyes). Use the compress and relax your eyes for 5-10 minutes.

7. 

   Place a cool, moist tea bag over your eyes. Green tea and chamomile tea both contain chemicals that help soothe irritation of the eye area, reduce inflammation and release clogged oil ducts. You can soak 2 tea bags and put them in the refrigerator or freezer until the tea bag is cold. Then, place the tea bag over your eyes (close your eyes) for about 5 minutes. advertisement

Method 2 of 3: Stop the cause of red eyes

1. 

   Make sure there are no foreign objects in your eyes. The smallest dust particles can also cause irritation if they accumulate in the eyes. If your eyes are itchy, don't scratch them as this will scratch the cornea. Instead, it's best to wash your eyes. Eye drops or normal saline can be placed in the eye and blinked quickly. For added effect, wash your eyes by:
   • Use clean hands to stretch your eyes open under warm, running water.
   • When showering, let the water run down your forehead, and keep your eyes open as the water runs down your eyes. Or you can wash your eyes with an eyewash or eye wash.
   • If you have a foreign object in your eye, it may be difficult to open and close your eyelids.

2. 

   Get 8 hours of sleep each night. Not getting enough sleep is a common cause of red eyes. If you feel tired and dizzy all day long, it is possible that red eyes are caused by lack of sleep. Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night, but some people may need more or less sleep.

3. 

   Avoid looking at computers and television screens. Even with enough sleep, eyes can still get tired from looking too long at a television or computer screen. This is because we often blink less when looking at a screen, and our eyes are forced to focus at the same distance over long periods of time, leading to eye strain. Rest your eyes for 15 minutes every 2 hours and rest for about 30 seconds every 15 minutes.
   • If you let your eyes rest for a long time, you can take a long walk and look around, or close your eyes for 15 minutes so you can keep up with your busy schedule.
   • If you let your eyes rest for a short time, you should look away and avoid looking at the screen for 30 seconds, focus on eye-line objects like trees outside a window or picture hanging opposite.

4. 

   Wear sunglasses. Some studies show that too much sun and wind exposure can cause red eyes. Wearing sunglasses while outdoors can protect your eyes from wind and UV rays that cause eye irritation. Choose sunglasses around your eyes that provide 99-100% protection from UVA and UVB rays.
   • Wearing sunglasses is an important step in long-term healthy eyes. Too much sun exposure can lead to problems like macular degeneration and cataracts in older adults.

5. 

   Wear your contact lenses less and keep them properly. Contact lenses can cause eye redness due to infection, lack of oxygen to the eyes, or irritation from contact.
   • Before wearing your contact lenses, you should add a few drops of saline or eye lubricant and blink a few times. This helps to clean the surface of your eyes and prevents irritants from getting trapped under your contact lenses.
   • Dirty, broken, or deformed contact lenses can cause eye irritation and infection. Therefore, you should follow your doctor's instructions for cleaning contact lenses. Do not wear contact lenses again for disposable lenses.
   • Do not wear contact lenses to sleep.
   • Avoid wearing contact lenses while swimming or bathing.

6. 

   Quit smoking and avoid smoke-free environments. Cigarette smoke is a common cause of red eyes. If you smoke, try to find ways to quit and stay away from people who smoke. Besides helping to reduce red eyes, quitting smoking has many other health benefits.

7. 

   Do not overuse whitening eye drops. Moisturizing eye drops are an effective way to reduce redness, but the drops specifically designed to whiten the eyes can make the problem worse. Whitening eye drops contain agents that constrict blood vessels under the eyes. Overusing these eye drops can make your body resistant to the medication, making the eyes redder as soon as the chemicals wear off. Common eye drops that contain vasoconstrictors include Clear Eyes, Visine and All Clear. The following chemicals should be avoided:
   • Ephedrine hydrochloride
   • Naphazoline hydrochloride
   • Phenylephrine hydrochloride
   • Tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride
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Method 3 of 3: Seek medical advice

1. 

   Seek immediate medical attention for severe symptoms. Redness, accompanied by other serious symptoms, may be a sign of a problem of concern such as a stroke or a neurological disorder. You should go to the emergency room or call 911 if:
   • Red eye due to injury.
   • Headache accompanied by blurred vision and confusion.
   • See halos around lights.
   • Feeling nauseous and / or vomiting.

2. 

   See your doctor if redness persists for more than 2 days. If you still have red eyes, are taking blood thinners, or if redness is associated with pain, changes in vision, or discharge, you should see your doctor immediately if using the above methods. Common conditions that cause red eyes include:
   • Red eye pain (conjunctivitis) - An infection of the transparent membrane that covers the eye. It is treated with topical antibiotics and / or antihistamines.
   • Chronic Dry Eyes - The problem is often caused by the eyes not producing enough tears to lubricate them. Chronic dry eye can be controlled with plugging (plugging in small holes in the eyelids to drain moisture), eye drops, and medication.
   • Diabetic red eyes - High blood sugar caused by diabetes can also damage the small blood vessels in the eye, leading to red eyes. If you have diabetes, you should get regular eye exams. Untreated diabetes can lead to vision loss.
   • Vasculitis - Occurs when the body's immune system attacks blood vessels. Vasculitis is treated with steroids and other drugs to reduce inflammation.
   • Glaucoma - Increased pressure in the eye that can cause blindness. Ice packs can be treated with eye drops to help relieve pressure.
   • Keratitis - Keratitis can be caused by wearing contact lenses for too long or a minor injury. Keratitis can be accompanied by bacterial infection.

3. 

   If redness persists, consult your ophthalmologist. Persistent redness that does not respond to medical treatment (improperly prescribed medication) is often the cause of eye strain and requires bifocals.
   • A prescription that is too strong will force the eye muscles to constantly work to focus on objects, leading to eye strain and redness. Taking prescription too weak is better than too strong medicine.
   • If you need to look closer to your computer screen to see clearly, you may need bifocals to help you see objects in multiple focal points.
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