A red eye can have many causes

Including infections, allergies and irritation

A red eye can have many causes

Including infections, allergies and irritation

A red eye could mean you have an infection or eye allergy

A red eye might just be an irritated tear duct, but you need to know for sure so we can help you feel better as quickly as possible

What is red eye?

Red eye is a common condition and is a sign of inflammation. It happens when the eyes become irritated and bloodshot. Sometimes it can improve all by itself, but often it can become aggravated and requires medical assistance.

There are a number of causes, some of which can be defined by the symptoms you experience. We’ll discuss this further below.

Conjunctivitis: This is the most common cause of red eye. It could be viral or bacterial. It can sometimes start with one eye then infect the other. We can treat this with antibiotic eye drops.

Allergy: Eye allergies are a reaction to indoor and outdoor allergens that get into your eyes. Examples of these are pollen, mould spores, dust mites and pet dander. This leads to histamine release from various parts of the eye, giving the common symptoms of eye allergies: redness, itchiness, burning feeling, watery eyes, and swollen eyelids.

Dry eyes: Dry eye is a condition in which a person doesn’t have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye. A long-standing dry eye condition can result in permanent dilation of blood vessels due to an ongoing mild degree of inflammation on the eye surface.

Eye injury: This could involve either laceration or trauma to the ocular surface or corneal abrasion, such as a scratch to the corneal surface either from nails or pet claws. Symptoms include pain, sensitivity to light, excessive tearing, watery eyes and redness.

Subconjunctival haemorrhage: This is caused by blood under the conjunctiva, covering part of or the entire eye. It can occur after prolonged coughing. This condition is usually asymptomatic, although some patients notice mild aching.

Eye inflammation: Inflammation of different tissues in the eye may lead to redness, pain and lachrymation.

Contact lens wear: Contact lenses can cause dry eyes either by continuous rubbing against the conjunctiva due to poor fitting or by preventing fluid distribution around the eyes. Another problem with contact lens wear is an infection that happens suddenly with severe pain and redness. This requires urgent treatment.

Computer vision syndrome: Also referred to as Digital Eye Strain, describes a group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer, tablet, e-reader and phone use. Many individuals experience eye discomfort and vision problems when viewing digital screens for extended periods. The level of discomfort increases with the amount of time spent using a digital screen.

We can diagnose red eye by looking at the symptoms and assessing the type of discharge present. The type of discharge will help us to ascertain the cause. For example, with bacterial conjunctivitis, the discharge is often white, green, or yellow, and it can seem like pus. We may also take a sample of the discharge for lab analysis.

Your red eye will be treated according to the cause. Our doctors will conduct a thorough examination to determine which type of red eye you have and suggest the treatment options based on the invidivual requirements of each patient.

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Early diagnosis and treatment is key to preventing further damage and restoring vision. Come see us today for an assessment.

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Whether you have keratoconus, dry eye, or another cornea and ocular surface disease, we appreciate the impact this can have on your comfort and quality of life.

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“I found the service I received from Dr. Elalfy very good, having experienced problems with surgery elsewhere, he sorted out those problems and reassured me to go on and complete my treatment. A lovely person with a very high skill set in optical surgery.”

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Beat the lockdown wait lists and move forward with your life

We provide personalised treatment at a time and place that suits you

Mr Mohamed Elalfy

MBBCh, MSc, MD, DRCOphth, FRCS (Ed), FRCS (Glas), FRCOphth, FICO, FEBO
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

Seeking eye treatment for a worrying eye condition can be stressful. Waitlists everywhere are long due to the lockdowns, and leaving the house to attend appointments can be a real inconvenience.

To make your experience as easy and stress-free as possible, we provide assessments in your local area. We also offer online appointments both before and after your treatment, so you don’t have to travel far to get the personalised support you deserve.

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