Burning Red Eyes

Red eyes are caused when the blood vessels in the sclera i.e, the white part of the eye, becomes dilated and irritated. Sometimes, this redness in the eyes is accompanied by pain, resulting in the person experiencing a burning sensation. Here are some of the causes followed by the treatment methods.

Burning red eyes could be due to a condition called subconjunctival hemorrhage, which occurs due to the over straining of the eye.

In this condition, a portion of the sclera turns bright red and might be accompanied by a burning sensation, although pain is never experienced. This condition is not something serious, and gets cleared up on its own within a few days.

Red burning eyes could be due to acute glaucoma. In this condition, eye pressure is felt, which gets worse after a while and is accompanied by pain, burning sensation, and visual disturbance. This condition should not be ignored and a doctor should be contacted immediately.

Other causes are certain eye infections such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, corneal ulcers resulting from a viral or bacterial infection, iritis, and uveitis. These eye inflammations produce symptoms such as eye itching, pain, eye discharge, and visual disturbances.

Certain weather conditions such as extremely cold weather, dry air, or exposure to direct sunlight for a long time could also be a reason for this eye problem.

It could be experienced due to an allergic reaction to some medicine which the person is taking, such as, blood thinning drugs if used in excess, can cause this condition in many patients. Allergies caused due to certain chemicals used in cosmetics as well as air pollution caused due to smoke or cigarettes can also lead to this eye condition.

Another cause can be the presence of some foreign bodies in the eye, such as dust. The foreign body may cause injury to the eye by causing a cut or damage in the eye in some cases. Corneal scratches, if caused by these foreign bodies in the eye, can damage the eye to a great extent.

Burning red eyes that are sensitive to light could be a symptom of a condition known as "dry eyes". In this condition, the eyes do not produce the normal amount of tears or even if the tears are produced, they evaporate very quickly. Dry eyes occur because of many reasons such as menopause, natural aging process, allergies to wind and dust, or as a side effect to certain medicines.

Doctors generally prescribe antihistamine eye drops and ointments for treating burning sensation and redness in the eyes. For treating eye infections such as conjunctivitis and blepharitis, antibiotics combined with ophthalmic corticosteroids are recommended.

Treatment for dry eyes includes, using artificial tears after consulting a doctor as they help soothe dry eyes and also relieve all the symptoms associated with them.

An ophthalmologist can be consulted for a treatment that involves conserving the eye tears by artificially closing the canals that drain out tears through the nose. This helps in keeping the eyes moistened longer, thus preventing, dry, burning, red eyes.

For treating burning red eyes resulting from eye strain or fatigue, provide adequate rest to the eyes by lying down with your eyes closed at consistent intervals while working.

Washing the eyes, several times a day, soothes and calms the eyes too. Applying cool compresses to the eyes helps in getting rid of the itching and burning sensation caused due to an infection.

Red burning eyes resulting from an allergy can be cured by staying away from the source of the allergy i.e, by changing the medicines that cause red eyes, shifting to herbal cosmetics from chemical cosmetics, and avoiding smoking or staying away from people who smoke.

Burning red eyes is not a serious condition, and it can be easily treated by following the aforementioned treatments and through proper eye care. However, if the condition persists for more than two weeks and is accompanied by extreme pain and visual disturbances and sensitivity towards light, it is advised to contact an ophthalmologist immediately.

Disclaimer: This post is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.