What's going on with red eyes and red bloodshot eyes

Red bloodshot eyes are a very common clinical symptom. Generally speaking, red bloodshot eyes are not a single symptom, and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as excessive eye discharge, red and swollen eyes, etc. The symptoms of red eyes, excessive eye mucus and red bloodshot eyes are related to many reasons, the main one being the influence of disease. So what causes red eyes and red bloodshot eyes?

1. Inflammation

Red bloodshot eyes and excessive eye mucus are one of the most common clinical manifestations in ophthalmology and are a descriptive definition. Red eyes in a narrow sense usually refer to the dilation of conjunctival blood vessels with a white sclera as the background. A survey conducted in Eastern Europe and the Middle East showed that patients visiting ophthalmology clinics for red eyes accounted for 15% of visits and 6% of general practice clinics. The most common causes of red eyes in outpatient clinics are allergic conjunctivitis, dry eyes and bacterial conjunctivitis.

2. Allergic reaction

Red bloodshot eyes and excessive mucus may be an allergic reaction. Any foreign matter entering the eyes may cause eye allergies. City dust, car exhaust, spring pollen, pet fur, etc. are all common causes of eye allergies. The main symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis are itchy and red eyes. In severe cases, the eyelids may also become red, swollen and itchy. In addition, it is often accompanied by symptoms of allergic rhinitis such as itchy nose and sneezing. At this time, using antibiotic eye drops may aggravate the allergy. If you experience itchy eyes, itchy nose, and sneezing at a certain season every year, it is very likely that you have allergic conjunctivitis caused by allergens such as pollen that appear at a specific time. You can use the anti-allergic eye drops olopatadine (Patantrol) for preventive treatment.

3. Others

Red eyes caused by infectious eye diseases are often severe and occur rapidly, often accompanied by risk factors or predisposing factors and ocular surface infection, and are often accompanied by purulent secretions; red eyes caused by non-infectious eye diseases have a relatively slow onset, are milder, and are significantly affected by environmental factors. They are often accompanied by dry or itchy eyes, and conjunctival secretions are often sticky. Diseases such as lesions in the mid-corneal area, iritis and glaucoma are often accompanied by decreased vision; while allergic diseases, dry eyes and conjunctival inflammation generally do not affect vision.