What Causes Bloodshot Eye and How Does It Clear?
There are fine, small blood vessels in the white part of the eye. Under normal conditions we do not see these capillaries. A bloodshot eye, which is caused when these very fine and delicate vessels dilate or rupture for many different reasons. Blood leaking from damaged vessels, or dilated vessels filling with blood, causes part of the eye to become bloodshot and to look red. For this reason, bloodshot eye is also known as red eye. The redness may clear on its own, but it may also require medical attention. If you have a bloodshot eye that does not clear within two days, you should consult an ophthalmologist for appropriate treatment.
What Are the Causes of Bloodshot Eye?
Understanding the answers to the questions “Why does the eye become bloodshot? What causes a bloodshot eye?” will, in some cases, help you to prevent the problem with small measures you can take in your daily life.
- We can say that lifestyle is one of the greatest factors that cause bloodshot eye.
- Excessive alcohol and tobacco use also cause the blood vessels of the eye to dilate. This, of course, leads to bloodshot eye.
- Factors causing eye strain, such as disturbances in sleep patterns and long hours spent in front of screens, can also cause bloodshot eye.
- The problem may also occur as a result of eye make-up, environmental factors and genetic health issues.
- Bloodshot eye may also occur due to blood-thinning medications, diabetes, retinal tears and certain age-related conditions.
- Strong coughing and sneezing can increase pressure in the eye and cause bleeding. Wearing contact lenses, allergic reactions, rubbing the eye vigorously and dry eye can also cause bloodshot eye.
- A working environment lit by dim or excessively bright lighting strains the eyes more than normal and causes the eye to redden.
- Long exposure to sunlight in the summer months tires the eye, and direct exposure to the sun can cause not only bloodshot eye but also other health problems.
- Conjunctivitis — popularly known as “pink eye” and consisting of inflammation of the membrane covering the surface of the eye — is also a cause. Conjunctivitis can be allergic, or it can result from a viral or bacterial infection.
Some readers may wonder “What causes one bloodshot eye?”. In fact, any of the above may cause a single bloodshot eye, but the condition may also occur in both eyes.
Particularly in cases of infection, in order not to spread it to the other eye, the affected eye should not be touched; if it has been touched, the other eye should not be touched with the same hand, and the hands should be washed immediately.
Bloodshot Eye in Children
Because they are very active and touch many things, bloodshot eye in children is often caused by bacteria or viruses. For this reason, hand hygiene is of great importance, especially in children who spend time outside the home or use public transport. If the child does not wash their hands as soon as they get home — or, if there is an infection, frequently — the condition that causes bloodshot eye may also spread to other family members.
Allergic children may experience more bloodshot eye in the spring months due to increased pollen or dust. The cause of the allergy should be identified and precautions taken. Children with allergic conjunctivitis should be watched carefully because they tend to rub their eyes. Indeed, although there is generally a genetic predisposition as well, it is known that keratoconus — a condition in which the normally round cornea takes on a forward-pointing conical shape — is triggered by rubbing and scratching of the eyes.
What Causes Bloodshot Eye in Babies?
Babies, who are in a phase of discovering themselves and their surroundings, often bring their hands to their eyes after touching many objects. When the hand that has touched an object then touches the eye, a bloodshot eye may develop. For this reason, bloodshot eye is commonly seen in newborns and babies. It can be said that it is observed more frequently in babies with particularly sensitive constitutions. In most cases, it clears on its own without any treatment. However, in some cases it requires treatment by a specialist doctor.
Allergic reactions caused by spring pollen are one cause of bloodshot eye in babies. Bloodshot eye can be prevented by keeping babies away from dusty, windy and pollen-rich environments. Viral or bacterial infections can also cause a bloodshot eye in babies. Some bacteria in the birth canal can also cause bleeding in the eye in babies. In such cases, the necessary treatment should be carried out under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. It should also not be forgotten that babies may have bloodshot eyes when they have not had enough sleep.
Furthermore, congenital tear-duct obstructions cause heavy discharge, watering and redness.
How Many Days Does Bloodshot Eye Take to Clear?
A bloodshot eye that is not caused by a serious illness — but rather by allergies or viral and bacterial infections — may clear on its own within one or two days. In cases where there is a serious underlying condition, this period may extend to one or two weeks. In cases that do not clear on their own within a few days, an ophthalmologist should always be consulted and appropriate treatment carried out.
What Helps Bloodshot Eye?
Above all, let us remind you again that if your red eye is bothering you or persists for more than two days, you should consult an ophthalmologist without delay. In the meantime, there are some points you can pay attention to in your daily life and lifestyle to keep bloodshot eye from progressing.
- If the environments in which you spend a lot of time have eye-straining lighting, this should be changed, or long periods of time should not be spent in such environments.
- Contact lenses should be used in accordance with the instructions and hygiene should be observed.
- During a period of bloodshot eye, make-up should not be applied to the eye, and any make-up materials used should be selected from those that do not harm the eye.
- Eye make-up must be removed before going to bed using eye-friendly products.
- The towels with which you dry your face — and the pillowcases that may come into contact with your eyes — should be changed frequently.
- If you have allergies, particularly in spring and autumn when pollen counts are high, glasses should be worn and a shower should be taken as soon as you get home.
- Avoid tobacco smoke and dust, which can cause bloodshot eye.
- To protect the eye from sunlight, sunglasses or a hat with a brim should be worn in sunny weather.
- If a chemical liquid or gas has entered the eye, the eye should first be flushed with plenty of water and a doctor should be consulted without delay.
The popular practices of cleaning the eye with tea or covering the eye with a slice of potato can cause irritation and may worsen your condition.
Treatment of Bloodshot Eye
If your problem persists despite taking the measures above, you may be asking “How can bloodshot eye be cleared?”. In this case, as we mentioned earlier, you should consult an ophthalmologist without delay.
The treatment your doctor recommends to clear the redness will vary depending on the underlying cause.
- If a different condition causing bloodshot eye is diagnosed, the bloodshot appearance will resolve once that condition is treated.
- If there is an eye infection, antibiotic creams and drops are recommended; if it is an allergic reaction, anti-allergy drops or, if necessary, oral medication is prescribed.
- If pain accompanies the redness, eye drops containing analgesics may be used.
- If a foreign body has entered the eye, it needs to be removed.
- If raised eye pressure (glaucoma) is involved, lowering the pressure and treating it are important.
- If ultraviolet burns are involved, the eye is closed for a time with the use of appropriate medication.
- If there is dry eye, tear drops and artificial-tear preparations are recommended.
If you have a complaint of bloodshot eye that does not clear or that recurs, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.
We hope you have found the answers to your questions about what causes bloodshot eye and how it clears, and we wish you healthy eyes.
Prepared by the Editorial Board of the Eye Foundation Hospitals.
