Red eye: when to seek care
“Red eye†describes a symptom, not a diagnosis. It can be caused by a minor irritation, allergy or conjunctivitis, but it can also signal a condition that needs urgent eye treatment.
Example photograph of conjunctivitis. By Daemonanyndel; Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0. No changes made.
Common, less serious causes
Dry eye, allergy, irritation from smoke or dust, and conjunctivitis can all make the eye look red. Symptoms may include grittiness, burning, watering, itching or discharge. However, the appearance of the eye alone cannot reliably tell you the cause or whether antibiotic drops are appropriate.
Simple precautions
- Do not rub the eye.
- Wash hands regularly and avoid sharing towels, eye makeup or pillows if infection is possible.
- Remove contact lenses and do not wear them again until you have been advised that it is safe.
- Do not use someone else's drops, leftover antibiotic drops, or steroid eye drops without an eye-care professional's direction.
Get urgent eye-care advice today if
- The eye is painful rather than merely irritated
- Vision is blurred, reduced, or suddenly different
- Light causes significant pain or discomfort
- You wear contact lenses and have a red or painful eye
- There is marked eyelid swelling, severe discharge, or symptoms are worsening quickly
Seek emergency help immediately after a chemical splash, penetrating injury, sudden major vision loss, severe headache with nausea and a red painful eye, or if something is embedded in the eye. Do not drive yourself if vision is affected.
What an examination can establish
An eye-care professional can check vision, eye pressure, the cornea and the inside of the eye to distinguish causes such as conjunctivitis, corneal infection, uveitis, acute glaucoma or injury. Prompt assessment is especially important when pain, light sensitivity or reduced vision is present.