Red eyesare a common problem. How you get rid of red eyes depends, in part, on the cause. At-home and over-the-counter treatments include:
This article explores different treatments for red eyes and details how to get rid of red eyes. It also explains when to see your healthcare provider for red-eye treatment.
Causes of Red Eyes
That “bloodshot” appearance of red eyes occurs when blood vessels in the white part of the eye—theconjunctiva—are irritated and become enlarged.
See your healthcare provider for prompt referral to an ophthalmologist if you have a red eye following an injury, or have:
Lack of sleep can cause bloodshot eyes because your eyes heal themselves as you sleep. If you do not get enough sleep, your eyes may produce less lubricating tears, causing your eyes to be dry, itchy, and red.
When red eyes do occur, there are over-the-counter (OTC) products and home remedies you can try to get the red out and prevent it from coming back.
8 Reasons Your Contacts Are Giving You Red Eyes
1
Cold Compresses
How to Use
Small bags of frozen peas or corn make effective compresses for red eyes as well, as they conform to the eye area and tend to stay colder longer than a cloth.
2
Artificial Tears
Artificial tears, clinically known asdemulcentdrops, are over-the-counter eye drops formulated to restore moisture todry, inflamed eyes. Artificial tears are a common red eye treatment and should be applied fairly often; most people tend to under-use them.
Causes of dry eye include:
To get rid of red eyes, try using artificial tears:
Some people store a bottle of eye drops in the refrigerator, as the chilled fluid may be soothing to the eyes.
3
Vasoconstrictors
Vasoconstricting eye drops are not popular with eye doctors for treating red eye because, when used for too long, they wear off quickly and prompt too-frequent use. This can cause “rebound redness”—when the drops wear off, blood vessels dilate even larger than they were before, making eyes appear bloodshot.
Apply eye drops to treat red eyes no more than twice daily. Use them once in the morning and once before bedtime.
Vasoconstrictors reduce redness and may be used safely for up to 72 hours.
More frequent use of this type of eye drop is not good for your eyes. If you find yourself needing them every morning, consult your healthcare provider.
Precautions
Do not use vasodilator eye drops without consulting your healthcare provider first if you’repregnantor have:
People who havenarrow-angle glaucomashould not use vasodilator eye drops.
4
Antihistamine Eye Drops
Antihistamines are short-acting, so they must be used:
If you wear contact lenses, wait 10 minutes after using antihistamine eye drops before inserting them.
Precautions
If your eye allergy symptoms don’t improve or worsen, see your eye doctor. Ask your healthcare provider before using an antihistamine/vasoconstrictor eye drop (such as Opcon-A) if you have:
Prognosis
In most cases, red eyes should clear up within a few hours or days. Red eyes from a rough night of poor sleep or too much alcohol can last a few hours.
Red eyes from a subconjunctival hemorrhage can take a few weeks to clear up.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dunlop AL, Wells JR.Approach to red eye for primary care practitioners.Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2015 Sep 1;42(3):267-84. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2015.05.002American Academy of Sleep Medicine.How lack of sleep affects your eyesight.Rausch K.Home remedies for bloodshot eyes–and when to see a doctor. American Academy of Opthalmology.National Eye Institute.Causes of dry eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye allergy diagnosis and treatment.Bitton E, Crncich V, Brunet N.Does the temperature of an artificial tear affect its comfort?.Clin Exp Optom. 2018;101(5):641-647. doi:10.1111/cxo.12664Abelson MB, Smith LM.Vasoconstrictors: Myths and realities.Review of Opthalmology.Boyd K.Redness-relieving eye drops. American Academy of Opthalmaology.DailyMed.Naphazoline—naphazoline hydrochloride solution/ drops.MedlinePlus.Epinastine ophthalmic.DailyMed.Opcon-A—naphazoline hydrochloride and pheniramine maleate solution/ drops.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to treat pink eye.American Optometric Association.Subconjunctival hemorrhage.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dunlop AL, Wells JR.Approach to red eye for primary care practitioners.Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2015 Sep 1;42(3):267-84. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2015.05.002American Academy of Sleep Medicine.How lack of sleep affects your eyesight.Rausch K.Home remedies for bloodshot eyes–and when to see a doctor. American Academy of Opthalmology.National Eye Institute.Causes of dry eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye allergy diagnosis and treatment.Bitton E, Crncich V, Brunet N.Does the temperature of an artificial tear affect its comfort?.Clin Exp Optom. 2018;101(5):641-647. doi:10.1111/cxo.12664Abelson MB, Smith LM.Vasoconstrictors: Myths and realities.Review of Opthalmology.Boyd K.Redness-relieving eye drops. American Academy of Opthalmaology.DailyMed.Naphazoline—naphazoline hydrochloride solution/ drops.MedlinePlus.Epinastine ophthalmic.DailyMed.Opcon-A—naphazoline hydrochloride and pheniramine maleate solution/ drops.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to treat pink eye.American Optometric Association.Subconjunctival hemorrhage.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Dunlop AL, Wells JR.Approach to red eye for primary care practitioners.Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2015 Sep 1;42(3):267-84. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2015.05.002American Academy of Sleep Medicine.How lack of sleep affects your eyesight.Rausch K.Home remedies for bloodshot eyes–and when to see a doctor. American Academy of Opthalmology.National Eye Institute.Causes of dry eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye allergy diagnosis and treatment.Bitton E, Crncich V, Brunet N.Does the temperature of an artificial tear affect its comfort?.Clin Exp Optom. 2018;101(5):641-647. doi:10.1111/cxo.12664Abelson MB, Smith LM.Vasoconstrictors: Myths and realities.Review of Opthalmology.Boyd K.Redness-relieving eye drops. American Academy of Opthalmaology.DailyMed.Naphazoline—naphazoline hydrochloride solution/ drops.MedlinePlus.Epinastine ophthalmic.DailyMed.Opcon-A—naphazoline hydrochloride and pheniramine maleate solution/ drops.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to treat pink eye.American Optometric Association.Subconjunctival hemorrhage.
Dunlop AL, Wells JR.Approach to red eye for primary care practitioners.Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2015 Sep 1;42(3):267-84. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2015.05.002
American Academy of Sleep Medicine.How lack of sleep affects your eyesight.
Rausch K.Home remedies for bloodshot eyes–and when to see a doctor. American Academy of Opthalmology.
National Eye Institute.Causes of dry eye.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye allergy diagnosis and treatment.
Bitton E, Crncich V, Brunet N.Does the temperature of an artificial tear affect its comfort?.Clin Exp Optom. 2018;101(5):641-647. doi:10.1111/cxo.12664
Abelson MB, Smith LM.Vasoconstrictors: Myths and realities.Review of Opthalmology.
Boyd K.Redness-relieving eye drops. American Academy of Opthalmaology.
DailyMed.Naphazoline—naphazoline hydrochloride solution/ drops.
MedlinePlus.Epinastine ophthalmic.
DailyMed.Opcon-A—naphazoline hydrochloride and pheniramine maleate solution/ drops.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to treat pink eye.
American Optometric Association.Subconjunctival hemorrhage.
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