Red Eye Treatment

Many eye problems can cause one or both of the eyes to look red. If you have red eye, it's time to see an optometrist to find out if you need treatment for the condition. At Warm Springs Optometric Group, we have years of experience providing residents of Fremont, CA, and the surrounding areas with red eye treatment.

What Is Red Eye?

Red eye is an eye condition that makes the sclera, the whites of the eyes, look red. There are different ways that red eye can present, including the entire sclera being red or pink or the appearance of many red or pink squiggly against the white sclera. Many different conditions can cause the eyes to look this way. Often, red eye presents itself alongside eye irritation, itching, burning, discharge, pain, watery eyes, blurred vision, and enhanced sensitivity to light.

Red Eye Causes

Sometimes, there is no apparent cause of red eye. Other times, a condition, disease, or situation has caused it. In all cases, the underlying reason for developing red eye is the small blood vessels in the eye becoming dilated and swollen. One of the most common reasons for this is allergies.

Red eye can also occur if the eyes are fatigued, contact lenses have been worn for too long, or the eye has been infected. All of these cases are relatively benign. However, there are some cases of red eye that signal something more serious. It can be a sign that you have developed glaucoma or uveitis. It can also be caused by dry eye and digital eye strain. Red eyes can also develop following trauma to the eye, eye surgery, or developing a corneal ulcer.

Environmental Causes

Several environmental causes can irritate the eye and cause it to look red or pink. These include:

Air pollution
Dry air
Dust
Exposure to irritating chemicals or fumes
Airborne allergens
Excessive sunlight exposure

Discomfort, itchiness or problems with your eyes may result in a red or pink appearance in the white of your eyes. When you notice that your eyes appear red and inflamed, you want to address the underlying problem. At our clinic, eye doctors provide treatments to help with the symptoms you develop and encourage your eyes to heal.

Red Eye Basics

When you have red eye, it means the whites of your eyes appear red, bloodshot and inflamed. The eyes may become swollen and the redness may worsen over time without treatment.

The reason your eyes appear red is the blood vessels in the whites of your eyes. The blood vessels dilate and the eyes appear bloodshot with clear redness throughout the white part of your eyes. Eye doctors recognize the signs of the condition and develop a personalized treatment plan after identifying the specific cause of your red eyes.

Symptoms of Red Eyes

The symptoms of red eyes allow you to determine when to seek medical treatment. You want to seek red eye treatment whenever you notice signs of the problem because it may suggest a medical emergency.

Common signs of the condition include:

Bloodshot or red eyes
Pain in your eyes
Blurry vision
Itchiness in the eyes
Discharge from your eyes
Swollen eyes
Visual disturbances

Although many individuals experience a variety of symptoms, red eyes do not always cause discomfort. In some cases, the only symptom you notice is red and bloodshot eyes.

Reasons You May Develop Red Eyes

The underlying causes of red eyes differ for each individual. By identifying the reason for your bloodshot and swollen eyes, an eye doctor provides a treatment plan to address the problem.

Common causes of red eyes include:

Allergies
Injuries to your eyes
Infections from bacteria or viruses
Dry eyes
Using a computer for an extended period
Wearing contact lenses
Other eye conditions, like glaucoma or ulcers

Eye doctors clarify the cause of the symptoms you experience before developing a treatment plan. A treatment plan focuses on addressing the cause or encouraging your eyes to heal from an injury.

How Fremont Optometrists Treat Red Eyes

Fremont optometrists develop a red eye treatment plan based on your symptoms and the cause of your symptoms. Due to the variety of potential causes, we may run tests to check for eye conditions like glaucoma, infections or other factors that may result in swollen and bloodshot eyes.

After clarifying the cause of your symptoms, we provide appropriate treatments. We may suggest medicated eye drops for allergies, dry eyes or similar factors that cause your bloodshot eyes. We may also recommend lifestyle adjustments when computer usage contributes to your symptoms. For example, we may recommend taking regular breaks when you spend time on the computer or other devices. You can also benefit from wearing glasses instead of contact lenses when you develop discomfort from the lenses. Other medications or surgical treatments are an option when other eye conditions cause your red eyes.