See also: Eye color
Red eyes, injected with blood, are a symptom related to various conditions, accumulated by inflammation and dilation of the ocular capillaries; some of these are absolutely benign, others are a cause for concern and still others represent a real medical emergency.
Causes of red eyes
The most trivial cause responsible for red eyes is crying, both of emotional and irritative origin (due to allergic phenomena, intense sun exposure, dust, the presence of foreign bodies or other conditions). Excessive alcohol consumption also contributes to dilating skin and eye capillaries, causing the characteristic redness.
Blood-streaked eyes can signal a "cold" illness, such as the flu or the common cold. Coughing, in particular, especially when intense, can cause the small capillaries that supply the ocular sclerae to break.
In patients being treated with oral anticoagulants (such as Coumadin ® or Sintrom ®), the appearance of bloodshot red eyes may be a sign of overdose; in this case, small hemorrhages may also occur in the skin, gums (during tooth brushing), or nose (epistaxis). In this case it is advisable to communicate the symptoms to your doctor, for the evaluation of the prothombin time (INR) and the possible dose adjustment.
If the eye is more pink than red, irritated and watery, it could be conjunctivitis, an inflammatory process - caused by infections, allergies or chemical / physical irritations - affecting the conjunctiva. Therefore, in the presence of severe eye irritation and abundant or purulent secretions, it is advisable to consult a doctor; in this case, in fact, conjunctivitis probably has an infectious origin and as such can spread to the other eye or be easily transmitted to other people. In the meantime, care should be taken to wash hands carefully and avoid contact with the other eye.
In blepharitis, red eyes are typically accompanied by itching and swelling of the eyelid margins, which may appear greasy or scabby. Also in this case the etiology can be bacterial.
Acne rosacea, a rather common form of acne - which affects the face by increasing sebaceous secretion and dotting it with furuncular rashes - in more than half of cases also affects the eyes, causing tearing, dry eyes, photosensitivity, discomfort and red eyes. is not treated, ocular rosacea can cause damage to vision, so even in this case it is important to consult a doctor.
Especially in the hypertensive elderly, red eyes, streaked with blood and associated with severe headache, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting and mental confusion, can be the consequence of an acute glaucoma attack. This is a real medical emergency. , which in the absence of adequate treatment can compromise sight to the point of blindness; therefore, an immediate request for medical assistance is necessary.
