If your eyes are bloodshot, more often than not, it is not serious. It can result from not getting enough sleep one night, or you may have something in your eyes. After you get the object out like an eyelash, the eye can become red. That means whenever you end up with a red eye, you may ignore it. However, there are times when you do not want to do that. If the red eye comes out of nowhere, you will want to pay attention because it can indicate that there is something more serious at play. Let’s talk about why you do not want to ignore bloodshot eyes if it does not go away.
Bloodshot Eyes Are Not Always From Benign Reasons
Other benign reasons that can cause bloodshot eyes can be swimming, having trouble wearing contact lenses, smoking, and staring at a computer screen for prolonged periods. However, there are several reasons that you do want to get medical attention if you have bloodshot eyes, which can threaten your vision. Let’s talk about them and what they can do if you ignore them.
Corneal Ulcer
When the eye cornea develops an infection, it can cause bloodshot eyes, and the reason for that is that the blood vessels become swollen and enlarged. You will end up with discharge, pain, blurred vision, itching, photophobia, and a white spot on the cornea. If you don’t treat the corneal ulcer, it can lead to a loss of vision or even complete blindness. The doctor can give you medicated drops or, in severe cases, steroids. There are other causes for bloodshot eyes that require medical attention.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
If you have heard of bleeding in the eye, that is subconjunctival hemorrhage as the whites of the eyes become red. It happens when a blood vessel bursts under the conjunctiva which is the clear tissue covering the whites of the eyes. It usually does not cause serious problems, but you do want to get it taken care of it if you have it. It can be caused by an injury such as straining or lifting too hard. There are more eye conditions that you will want to have looked at as well.
Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma
Here is a serious condition you do not want to leave as a bloodshot eye can be a sign of acute angle-closure glaucoma which can result in blindness. If your eye suddenly goes red, along with severe eye pain and blurred vision, it is a medical emergency that must be treated right away. You can also see rainbow-colored halos around lights and even nausea and headaches. This condition causes blockages around your canals, so fluid builds up quickly. There are other causes for red eyes which require treatment.
Episcleritis
If you have inflammation of the tissue that lies in between the sclera and conjunctiva, that is episcleritis. It can cause mild eye pain, and it is also tender if you touch it. You may have scleritis, which is a deep inflammation of the external part of the eyeball that can cause a deep red appearance of the eye. An autoimmune condition can cause it, and your doctor will need to order a lot of bloodwork. One more eye condition can cause bloodshot eyes that require medical attentionIf you have inflammation of the tissue that lies in between the sclera and conjunctiva, that is episcleritis. It can cause mild eye pain, and it is also tender if you touch it. You may have scleritis, which is a deep inflammation of the external part of the eyeball that can cause a deep red appearance of the eye. An autoimmune condition can cause it, and your doctor will need to order a lot of bloodwork. One more eye condition can cause bloodshot eyes that require medical attention.
Uveitis
The middle layer of the eyeball is the uvea, and when it is inflamed, it can be uveitis. It can be a sudden condition that is characterized by eye redness, blurry vision, floaters, eye sensitivity, and pain. Steroids can help treat this condition. If you do not get it treated right away, it can lead to other complications such as glaucoma or choroidal and retinal scarring.
Therefore, if the redness of the eye appears out of nowhere along with pain, you want to see your doctor immediately. It could be due to any of those conditions.
