Eye hyperemia: causative factors. How to remove red eyes? Causes and treatment of redness of the eyes

Red-eye syndrome is a common phenomenon that occurs as a result of their overexertion or infectious diseases. Long work at the computer, exposure to household and industrial irritating chemicals, allergies, infectious diseases- all this can cause redness of the proteins and eyelids. If redness is associated only with eye fatigue, then to eliminate this phenomenon, you can use the means traditional medicine. In all other cases, it is better to consult an ophthalmologist and check the absence of serious diseases.

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Causes of redness of the eyes

Red eyes are not a disease, but a symptom of inflammation, which has several causes:

• external traumatic and irritating factors;
• infectious lesions of the eyes - conjunctivitis, keratitis, iridocyclitis;
• diseases of the internal organs.

The degree of damage to the eye can be assessed by the nature of its color - a dark cherry color indicates a large hemorrhage. For the treatment of redness of the eyes, depending on its nature, apply eye drops, ointments and other means.



External factors

Increased vascular tone in the eyes when they are irritated leads to the fact that the network of capillaries becomes more pronounced and the eyes turn red. This can happen in the following cases, not associated with eye diseases and infections:

• when exposed to chemicals and physical factors: chlorinated water while visiting the pool or taking a shower, cosmetics, medications, soap, smoke, dust, bright lighting, chemical eye contact;
• with physical and psycho-emotional stress;
• when working at a computer for a long time;
• with prolonged reading, watching TV and poor lighting, other activities associated with eye fatigue;
• when wearing contact lenses;
• with physical injuries of the eye, the ingress of foreign particles into it;
• with a fracture of the base of the skull, a “symptom of glasses” is observed - hemorrhage under the skin of the eyelids and the conjunctiva of both eyes;
• with allergic irritation, also accompanied by itching;
• when burned by ultraviolet rays;
• from insect bites.

In the case of a combination of red-eye syndrome, pain, burning sensation and any discharge, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist for timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Foreign bodies from the eye must be removed as soon as possible, since with each blink (on average 40 times per minute) they scratch the cornea, which can lead to inflammation.

If irritating substances get into the eye, then it must be rinsed as soon as possible with saline at room temperature or the following solutions based on boiled water:

• 2% solution drinking soda(1 tsp in half a glass of water);
• 2% solution of boric acid;
• Furacilin solution in a ratio of 1:5000. It can be bought ready-made in the prescription departments of pharmacies or prepared by dissolving 2 tablets of 20 mg in 200 ml of water.

After washing and removing foreign bodies, disinfectant ointments or drops are used.

With eye irritation caused by the first five reasons mentioned above, vasoconstrictor drugs are used:

• VizOptic;
• Vizin;
• Octilia;
• Naphthyzin;
• Vizomitin;
• Okumetil;
• Alomid and others.

For insect bites and burns, the following drugs are prescribed:

• local anesthetics - 2% solution of lidocaine hydrochloride 1 drop 1-3 times a day, 0.4% solution of Oxybuprocaine;
• vasoconstrictor drugs;
• anti-inflammatory drugs - 0.5% hydrocortisone ointment or 0.1% Dexamethasone solution.

Such treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a physician, as complications may occur. When wearing contact lenses, working at a computer for a long time, using cosmetics, staying in rooms where air conditioners and fans work, when taking medicines, irritating eyes, infectious diseases, it is recommended to use "artificial tears" preparations:

• in lung case inflammation - Vizin Pure Tear, Optiv, Hilabak, Oksial, Hilo-Komod, Vizmed, Lakrisifi, Natural Tear, Tears, Gipro meloza-P, Defislez, Artificial tear, Visomitin;
• with more severe irritations - Systein-Ultra, Oftolik, Lacrisin, Oftagel, Systein-Gel, Systein-Balance, Vidisik, Vizmed gel.





Diseases of the internal organs

Red eyes may indicate the presence of not only ophthalmic diseases, but also pathologies of internal organs and systems. Among cardiovascular disease for which this symptom is characteristic, the following can be distinguished:

• Acquired heart disease - narrowing or fusion of the mitral valve leaflets - is more common in women. With this disease, blood flow from the left atrium to the ventricle is disrupted and pressure in the pulmonary circulation increases. From the vessels of the retina, hemorrhages occur, which outwardly look like spots of bright cherry color on a milky white background.
• With arterial hypertension, retinal hemorrhages are observed - the release of red blood cells as a result of rupture small vessels. Hemorrhages are located radially, in the center - in the form of strokes and stripes resembling flames, and on the periphery of the retina - round or oval. They can spontaneously resolve within 2-3 weeks.

Chronic inflammatory diseases of the choroid (uveitis) often accompany diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, especially those associated with intoxication of the body. spicy and chronic glomerulonephritis leads to damage to the retina, in which large and small hemorrhages occur in the retina and fundus. Their growth is a bad sign and requires immediate medical attention. Severe redness of one of the eyes is one of the symptoms of impaired blood flow in vertebral arteries and cervical osteochondrosis.

Defeat retina eye occurs with secondary anemia acquired as a result of intoxication of the body (helminthiases, metabolic disorders, cancer, etc.) or repeated bleeding. A low level of hemoglobin in the blood leads to oxygen deficiency and a decrease in the permeability of the capillary walls. Bleeding is noted around the optic disc and in central region retina. In pregnant women, retinal hemorrhages occur acutely, in the second half of pregnancy, as a result of toxicosis in the presence of nephropathy and increased blood pressure. In patients, visual acuity is sharply reduced and retinal detachment may occur. In some cases, this condition is an indication for termination of pregnancy or early delivery.

The dark red color of the fundus and retinal veins is observed in adults with the following pathologies:

• heavy congenital diseases hearts;
• emphysema;
• sclerosis of the pulmonary artery;
• polyglobulia;
• arsenic poisoning, carbon monoxide, benzene, which is part of gasoline;
• chronic infections - malaria, dysentery.



In infectious diseases of the ENT organs, microorganisms that lead to inflammation of the conjunctiva enter the eye by contact - through the blood and lymph. At an early stage of diabetes mellitus, small point hemorrhages appear in the eye, and at a later stage, multiple hemorrhages appear. Patients with diabetes should be examined by an ophthalmologist at least 1-2 times a year, and with changes in the fundus - once every 3 months. Extensive hemorrhages in the conjunctiva and retina are also observed in whooping cough.



Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is the most common cause of redness and inflammation of the eyes. With this disease, the mucous membrane of the eye becomes inflamed. The infection is most often viral nature, and in combination with allergic rhinitis- allergic. The plethora observed with conjunctivitis - defensive reaction organism to a pathogenic microorganism. The vessels dilate to allow the infected eye to receive more blood to fight microbes. In advanced cases, in the absence of treatment, a secondary bacterial infection and the formation and discharge of pus begins.

With conjunctivitis, the following symptoms are observed:

• redness of proteins and eyelids;
• pain in the eyes;
• profuse lacrimation;
• feeling of sand in the eyes;
• gluing of the eyelids in the morning.

Conjunctivitis is included in the symptom complex of such diseases as measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis. Treatment of this disease is carried out depending on what causes it:

• For bacterial infection:
  • 20% solution of sulfacetamide (eye drops Sulfacyl sodium) - 1 drop every 2-4 hours, then 4-6 times a day;
  • 0.3% solution of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, 0.3% solution of gentamicin sulfate or 0.25% solution of Chloramphenicol 1 drop 4-6 times a day;
  • Tetracycline 1% eye ointment is placed in the eyes at night.
• For viral diseases (herpes, adenoviruses and other pathogens):
  • 3% eye ointment Acyclovir is applied over the eyelids 5 times a day, 7-10 days;
  • interferon human or biosynthetic in the form of eye drops - 1 drop 8-12 times a day.
• For allergic inflammation:
  • 0.5% Hydrocortisone ointment 2-4 times a day;
  • 0.1% solution of Dexamethasone 1 drop 4-6 times a day;
  • as antihistamines- 0.1% solution of olopatacin hydrochloride 1 drop 2 times a day, 0.1% solution of Lidoxamide or Diphenhydramine + Naphazoline 1 drop 3-4 times for 5 days.

Keratitis

The cause of inflammation of the cornea in keratitis is also bacteria, viruses and fungi. The vessels of the eye overflow with blood less than with conjunctivitis, and the color of redness of the eyes has bluish tinge, since the damage to the vessels occurs not on the surface, but in the depths of the sclera. characteristic feature keratitis is the presence of an ulcer or seal in which blood and lymph accumulate. By the type of this seal, you can determine the type of pathogen:

• rounded seal - bacterial infection;
• as geographical map- viral;
• branched, in the form of bubbles or comets - tuberculosis allergy.

These seals cannot be removed. With the right and timely treatment they are almost completely absorbed. Patients with keratitis are hospitalized in the ophthalmological departments of hospitals. Treatment is with antibacterial, antiviral and antihistamines.

Other eye diseases

With infectious inflammation of the iris and the middle part of the membrane of the eyes (iridocyclitis), not only their redness occurs, but also a change in the color of the iris. This disease is accompanied severe pain and develops in people with infectious diseases: tuberculosis, rheumatism, caries, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and pelvic organs. The patient is admitted to the hospital to determine the causes of the disease and carry out complex therapy aimed at both eliminating inflammation of the eyes and treating the underlying disease. Lack of treatment can lead to severe complications - glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachment and optic nerve atrophy, which will lead to complete blindness.

In an acute attack of glaucoma, the redness of the eye has a bluish tinge. Also present additional features this state:

• headache from the side of the affected eye;
• nausea and vomiting;
• the appearance of rainbow circles when observing light sources.



A sick person can become completely blind within 1-2 days, so urgent hospitalization and first aid are necessary in the form of the following treatment regimen:

• Acetazolamide, 2 tablets of 0.25 mg;
• 1% solution of pilocarpine hydrochloride, instilled every 15-20 minutes;
• 0.5% Timolol solution (1-2 times);
• hot foot baths.

With blepharoconjunctivitis, the edges of the eyelids and conjunctiva become inflamed. The disease can begin with hyperemia of the eyelids, and then spread to other parts of the eye. This disease is of an infectious nature, so it should be treated with the same drugs as conjunctivitis. AT severe cases prescribed systemic antibiotics.

Treatment with folk methods

If the redness of the eyes is caused only by their overwork and there is no pain, then the following folk remedies can be used at home:

• washing with infusion of tea or marshmallow root;
• lotions from decoctions of chamomile, calendula, linden, mint and brewed green or black tea bags;
• applying ice cubes from a frozen chamomile decoction to the eyes (1 tablespoon per 200 ml of boiling water);
• instillation of aloe juice 1-2 drops 3-4 times a day. For juicing, it is necessary to use an old plant, as it has more effective impact for tissue regeneration and inflammation relief.

Cotton swabs with decoctions and infusions of herbs are kept in front of the eyes for 10-15 minutes. In order to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, the method of alternate cold and warm compresses is used. For this, clean eyes are applied to the eyes. cotton swabs dipped in cold boiled water and then warm. Compresses hold each time for 1-2 minutes. This procedure is carried out 2-3 times a day for 2 weeks.



To eliminate eye fatigue when working with a computer, it is recommended to take breaks every hour and perform eye exercises. Good vision will also help preserve special vitamins:

• Vitrum Vision Forte;
• Blueberry Forte Evalar for vision;
• Vitalux Plus;
• Lutein Complex;
• Doppelgerz Active with lutein;
• SuperOptik and others.

It is recommended to eat foods rich in vitamins A, B, C and potassium: liver, yolk chicken egg, milk, fish, carrots, tomatoes, leafy vegetables, parsley, cabbage, potatoes, Bell pepper(yellow and red), meat, nuts, yeast, grapes, dried fruits.

Surely every person has encountered the problem of reddening of the whites of the eyes. Knowing how to remove the redness of the eyes is important not only to eliminate the painful appearance. Often this effect occurs as a result of the development of certain diseases. Therefore, the problem must be responded to in a timely manner, which will avoid a number of possible complications. Let's look at what factors can cause redness of the eye, the causes and treatment of pathology. We will also talk about effective drugs to fix the problem and preventive measures experiences.

The reasons

Before we tell you how to remove redness of the eyes at home, we highlight the factors that can cause a similar effect:

1. Impact external stimuli - these can be attributed ultraviolet radiation, high and low temperatures, wind exposure.
2. Contact with chemicals- irritation of the tissues of the eyeball, which results in a characteristic redness of the proteins, possibly due to the action of soap, shampoo, household cleaners, chlorinated water.
3. Foreign bodies - the effect can be caused by foreign particles entering the eye.
4. dry air- reddening of the whites of the eyes often occurs in people who are forced to stay indoors for a long time with the air conditioner turned on. The result is drying of the mucous membranes and irritation of the blood vessels.
5. allergic reactions- redness of the eyes can develop against the background of contact with plant pollen, pet hair, and other allergens.
6. Sauna visit- in this case, come into play sharp drops temperatures and level change blood pressure.
7. Improper nutrition- a deficiency in the body can lead to redness of the eyes certain vitamins and micronutrients.
8. Use of contact lenses and glasses- the occurrence of a negative effect is a common problem among people who are just getting acquainted with the use of vision correction products.
9. addiction to smoking - bad habit leads to impaired blood circulation, which can cause damage to the vessels of the eye proteins. However, quite often negative effect is a consequence of eye irritation from smoke.
10. Alcohol abuse- Alcohol causes vasodilation. At the same time, they become more pronounced in the protein structure of the eyeballs.
11. Use of cosmetics- Getting particles of mascara or shadows in the eyes can lead to redness of the eyes.
12. overvoltage- the negative effect makes itself felt when you are constantly at the computer or at the TV screen.
13. sleep deprivation- refusal of proper rest is fraught with the development of fatigue of the whole organism, which is often reflected in appearance eye.
14. Cry- contains a large amount of salt. The latter irritates the whites of the eyes and causes a characteristic reddening effect.

Eye diseases

Why is there redness in the eyes? Causes and treatment may depend on the development of specific ailments. Often the occurrence of such an effect is caused by scleritis. Pathology is characterized by inflammation of the protein tissue of the eyeballs. Often the disease is the result rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, lupus erythematosus.

The need to eliminate redness of the eyes may arise with the development of a corneal ulcer. Pathology leads to the impact on the body of pathogens of fungal infections, viruses. The ailment may be caused various kinds injuries. Ulcers gradually affect individual layers of the cornea, red spots form on it, as well as scars.

Redness of the eyes can be one of the symptoms of glaucoma. The disease occurs as a result of an increase in the level intraocular pressure. You can determine the problem not only by the painful shade of proteins, but also by the presence of frequent headaches, a feeling of pressure in the temporal zone.

Uveitis can cause the effect of redness of the eye proteins. Pathology is characterized by inflammation of the vascular membranes. Without proper treatment, the disease often develops into glaucoma.

Among other things, conjunctivitis leads to redness of the eyes, which is expressed in inflammation of the mucous membranes. It can occur when exposed to external stimuli or against the background of allergic reactions of the body.

Drops for eye irritation

One of best solutions to eliminate the problem, it looks like the use of special drugs. So let's highlight best drops for redness of the eyes:

1. "Vizin"- it is recommended to resort to the use of the product if the negative manifestation is caused by the drying of the mucous membranes. Positive changes begin to be observed after a few minutes. However, the drug should be used with caution. After all active substances in its composition are addictive.
2. "Naphthyzin"- the drug has a vasoconstrictive effect. Suitable for the treatment of inflammation, elimination of the consequences of allergic reactions. The drug not only removes the effect of redness of the eyes, but also dilates the pupil. For this reason, its use should not be resorted to in cases where it is necessary to perform work related to increased concentration attention.
3. "Octilia"- such eye drops eliminate the feeling of irritation, remove puffiness, itching, increased tearing. Vasoconstriction after application of the agent occurs within 2-3 minutes, and positive effect kept for about 4 hours.
4. "Alomid"- the product is recommended for use if the redness of the eyes is caused by allergic causes. The drug has a minimum number of side effects.
5. Okumetil- has an anti-inflammatory effect. It is instilled into the eyes in cases where redness is caused by the formation of puffiness. After application, there may be slight itching, a slight decrease in visual acuity.
6. "Vizomitin"- the main advantage of the remedy is not only to remove the effect of redness of the whites of the eyes, but also to eliminate the cause itself, which causes a negative effect. The drug can be used in combination with other drugs in the treatment of various ophthalmic diseases.

Eliminate redness of the eyes with a compress

To relieve redness, it is worth using cold compresses on the eyes. To prepare it, it is enough to wrap a few ice cubes in a piece of cloth. Then you should lie on your back and put such a compress on the bridge of your nose so that the water gradually flows down to your eyes. The solution not only promotes hydration of the mucous membranes, but also reduces blood flow to local vessels.

quality sleep

How to remove red eyes? It is necessary to try to get enough sleep, because the lack of proper rest will certainly lead to a negative effect. To prevent the development of the problem, you need to sleep at least 7 hours a day. The lack of quality rest provokes dryness of the mucous membranes of the eyes, and also leads to the appearance of bags in the eyelids.

Timely treatment of allergies

How to remove the redness of the whites of the eyes? People who are prone to the development of allergic reactions need to limit themselves in contact with the causative agents of such manifestations. Redness of the eyes in this case is caused by histamines. Such substances are produced by the body in order to combat the action of allergens. A side effect is a feeling of pain and dryness of the eyes.

Eye charger

To eliminate the redness of the proteins will allow the performance of special gymnastics. It consists in the following. To begin with, rapid blinking is performed for a minute. Next, you need to briefly hold your gaze at one point. These actions are repeated several times.

Then you should resort to rotational movements of the eyeballs with closed eyelids. Close your eyes and look up and down. The combination of exercises should be repeated 4 times. Finally, you need to close your eyes tightly for a few seconds and open them sharply. All this will relieve tension from local tissues, as well as provide moisture to the mucous membranes.

Prevention of redness

In order to never puzzle yourself with the question of how to remove the redness of the eyes, it is worth resorting to preventive measures. Avoid overvoltage visual organ and damage to blood vessels allows compliance with sleep and wakefulness.

If the work is related to being in front of a computer monitor, it is worth taking small breaks every hour. At this time, you need to resort to performing special gymnastics for the eyes.

Frequent blinking, the use of moisturizing drops, the use of vitamin complexes. If desired, you can use special devices designed to relieve stress from the eyes.

Finally

To eliminate the problem of redness of the eyes, it is important to determine the cause that causes the negative effect. Only in this case it is recommended to resort to specific actions. If it is not known why the proteins acquire a painful hue, it is better to seek the advice of an ophthalmologist. Perhaps the reason lies in the development of a certain disease.

Eye redness - nonspecific symptom, it does not point to specific disease, and may be the result of many pathologies different nature. These include both vision problems and impaired functioning of other organs of the body. General rule- regardless primary causes, the reddening itself has common mechanisms of development.

Why do eyes turn red

The color of the eyes changes due to the strong expansion of the veins and capillaries that provide blood eyeball. Due to the increase in the lumen, the vessels become significantly thinner and become transparent - red blood becomes visible. Taking into account the extent and in which place the blood vessels have expanded, the redness affects the sclera completely or only its corners, goes to the eyelid or is localized only on the eyeball.

The problem arises due to abrupt change physiological movement of blood in the direction of increasing intensity. There are several reasons for this state of the body, they are both external and internal.

Environmental factors

The eyes can be very irritated by various chemical compounds. Increased blood flow tries to quickly remove toxic substances from the surface of the eyeball, the reaction of the body is instinctive and is not subject to external adjustment. Another big group external factors- mechanical damage to the shell of the eyeball. These can be both small solid particles that create shallow scratches on the surface, and strong shock loads that lead to mechanical destruction of some vessels. After the elimination of the irritating factor of external causes, redness disappears without the need for treatment. But this does not apply to heavy chemical burns or mechanical damage organs of vision. Separate group physiological causes - eye fatigue after prolonged work with a computer. Redness occurs in electric welders due to exposure of the eyeball to hard ultraviolet rays. Listed external causes can cause redness of varying intensity. Many of them disappear after a few hours, for others it will take several days and special medications.

Important. In the case when the redness of the eyes does not go away after the disappearance of the factors provoking it, you need to go to an ophthalmologist. This situation can be caused by complex eye damage and cause partial loss of vision.

Especially carefully you need to monitor the behavior of the eyes after severe mechanical injuries. They violate the integrity of the conjunctiva and cornea, the eyes swell, and the risks of penetration through damaged tissues into the eyeball of various pathogenic microorganisms increase.

Physiological causes

Inadequate reactions of the body to various allergens, increased blood pressure, deviations from normal blood clotting, etc. Redness is the result of long-term muscle strain. Most of these redness do not require treatment, the elimination of physiological causes automatically eliminates the signs.

What to do if the eyes turn red without injury and there are no inflammatory processes? You should contact medical institution for a consultation. An experienced ophthalmologist after examination should send the patient to a doctor of the appropriate specialty, and not deal with the treatment of redness.

Important. It must be understood that to physiological reasons also includes fatigue, mental stress, irritation . In children, redness appears after prolonged crying.

What diseases cause red eyes?

1. Poor blood clotting or hypertension. Both factors cause minor bleeding, blood enters the space of the eyeball and changes its color.
2. Arthritis, spondyloarthritis, relapsing polychondritis. On the early stages redness does not appear, problems are noticeable in the chronic course of diseases.
3. Granuleatosis, Sjögren's syndrome. Redness occurs not only in the eyes, change color and other parts of the skin and mucous membranes.

Diabetes, an overdose of drugs, including eye drugs, can be another cause of redness.

Eye changes

Individual cases requiring surgical treatment- redness in glaucoma, dacryocystitis, inflammation of the membrane, etc. If the cause of red eyes is a visual disease - redness is treated simultaneously with the underlying disease, very rarely disappears on its own. All pathologies that cause redness are divided into two large groups.

What pathologies do not cause inflammation?

1. Keratopathy. A specific disease of the cornea resulting from unbalanced nutrition, circulatory disorders. It happens filamentous, point, bullous. Redness of the eyes appear necessarily in all cases.

   

2. pterygium. A fold forms on the mucous membrane, over time it increases in size and can cover the entire cornea of ​​​​the eye. The color of the ptyrygium is red, respectively, and the eye becomes the same. A similar symptomatology has a disease of the pinguecula of the eye. it benign tumor red color, constantly increasing in size.

   

3. Local hemorrhages in tissues. Provoked by internal and external factors.
4. Incorrect position of the eyelid- it is turned outward and constantly injures the shell of the eyeball.

   

5. Trichiasis. Eyelashes are wrapped up to the eyes, irritate them and provoke redness.

   

What pathologies cause inflammation?

1. chicken pox. Due to active smallpox, the cornea becomes inflamed, after which viruses can enter the eye chambers.
2. Dacryocystitis, chronic dacryadenitis or acute canaliculitis. The sac, gland or lacrimal canal becomes inflamed.
3. , eyelid inflammation, creatitis, chorioretinal inflammation.
4. abscesses on the bones and soft tissues orbits.

This is a list of the most common diseases that cause red eyes. There are others, but they are rare. Due to the fact that redness indicates complex eye diseases, needed medical assistance. Especially if nausea is observed, there is a headache, visual acuity decreases, or liquid of any kind is released from the eyes. The sooner treatment is given, the less risk occurrence of consequences.

Eye redness due to inflammation of the cornea

The most common reason for untimely treatment can lead to permanent visual impairment. Inflammation of the cornea (keratitis) is caused by mechanical and chemical damage, infections by viruses and bacteria.

You can not stop after the disappearance of the first signs of the disease and redness of the eyes - a relapse is sure to follow. The process of eye treatment can take several months, and you need to be constantly monitored by an ophthalmologist.

Problems in children

As a rule, the eyes turn red suddenly. Often due to physical and chemical factors or physiological reasons. Even with a small amount of dust, a cold or a cough, the eyes turn red. This is explained by the very low resistance of the conjunctiva to stimuli. Another reason - viral diseases, the infection enters the eye through the nasolacrimal canal and causes inflammation. A common cause of redness in children is the habit of rubbing their eyes for any reason. As for infants, in most cases, redness is the result of a serious illness and requires treatment. pediatrician. Self-medication can lead to very sad results, aggravate pathological process, prolong and complicate the disease . The doctor prescribes an effective, but gentle therapy, local inflammations are treated separately.

Redness treatment

As mentioned above, drops can only be used in cases where redness is not a concomitant sign of serious illness. If the cause is mechanical or minor chemical irritants, then it is recommended to use drops.

Table. Drops for redness of the eyes.

Doctors strongly recommend not to self-medicate, but to seek help from ophthalmologists. Redness of the eyes is often a concomitant phenomenon, the underlying disease needs to be treated. Delay in taking action can cause very serious complications.

Video - Conjunctivitis. What causes red eyes

More than 30% of eye diseases are associated with conjunctivitis, inflammatory diseases outer shell. Despite the different nature, they have the same symptoms:

• pain in the eyes,
• feeling" foreign body»,
• lacrimation.

Conjunctival hyperemia is one of the signs of trouble. It is also called "red eye syndrome". The severity depends on the causative agent of the disease, the previous condition of the mucous membrane of the eye, defensive forces organism (immunity).

Hyperemia, as a symptom, occurs with plethora of arterial or venous vessels and capillaries. A good blood supply is essential to ensure important functions eyeball.

A change in the blood supply to the conjunctival membrane can be a symptom of a general altered vascular tone, impaired metabolism, and stagnation in the brain. Therefore, hyperemia of the eyes has to be considered in the complex of a serious pathology, indicating the defeat of the nervous and hormonal regulation.

Features of the blood supply to the eye

Without taking into account the peculiarities of the blood supply to the eye, it is impossible to determine the type of vascular hyperemia and the effect of congestion or spasm of the vessels of the skull.

The main artery - the ophthalmic - departs from the internal carotid symmetrically on each side, goes into the orbit along with optic nerve. Branches radiate from it different parts eyes, they form 2 microcirculation systems:

1. Central retinal artery- goes inside the retina along with the nerve, its branches feed only the medulla of the retina and have no connection with other vessels.
2. ciliary arteries- make up their own system for the blood supply to the remaining parts of the eyeball with the help of anterior and posterior, long and short branches. choroid It is formed by short arteries, through which it is connected with the sclera and the vascular corolla around the optic nerve.

All ciliary branches are connected by anastomoses, form circulation circles along the border of the iris and with the ciliary body.

The veins of the eye do not have valves, so stagnation easily spreads to them. The blood is collected in 4 whirlpool collectors (vorticose). The most basic - through the orbit flows into the cavernous sinus of the cerebral sinus. The other (lower) ophthalmic - connects to the deep vein of the face.

A feature of anastomoses is the connection:

• on the one hand, with the veins of the brain;
• on the other, with venous network face, nasopharynx, ethmoid sinus.

Infection and a wave of congestive hyperemia are transmitted along these pathways in both directions.

The problem of hyperemia in ophthalmic practice

Conjunctiva - the outer mucous membrane of the eye, which protects it from infection, injury, foreign bodies. It is the first to meet with inflammatory agents of exogenous action (viruses, bacteria, dust particles), since a person necessarily involuntarily rubs his eyes and transmits infection from his hands.

But hyperemia of the conjunctiva of the eyes accompanies other diseases:

• inflammatory nature (scleritis, uveitis, iridocyclitis);
• eye tumors;
• compression of blood vessels in an acute attack of glaucoma;
• eyelid diseases.

Ophthalmologists know how to analyze the signs of conjunctival hyperemia. From correct diagnosis depends on the effectiveness of the treatment. The most common variants of redness of the eyes and their distinguishing features are determined when examining the patient.

Vessels in the mucous membrane of the eye also change under the influence of systemic metabolic disorders and chronic diseases. diabetes mellitus and hypertonic disease promote education a large number aneurysms against the background of loss of tone of the walls of arterioles, their expansion.

Types of eye hyperemia depending on the depth of the lesion

Conjunctival hyperemia accompanies acute and chronic inflammation:

• in acute conjunctivitis, redness of the eyeball and cartilage surface is characteristic;
• in chronic - only the cartilage near the transitional fold turns red.

In the area of ​​hyperemia, vessels slightly protruding above the surface are determined, they are displaced along with the outer layer

Ciliary hyperemia- occurs with a deep spread of infection to the area of ​​​​the iris. Vessels are not red, but bluish in color, they themselves are not traced. This indicates damage to the deep arteries.

Mixed hyperemia- develops with damage to both the conjunctiva and the ciliary body. The prevalence of infection suggests a hematogenous route of infection (through the blood).

In addition to hyperemia, other symptoms are important:

• vagueness of the contours of the iris and a change in its color;
• the presence and nature of the exudate.

The most common causes of conjunctivitis

Inflammation of the conjunctiva requires infection or prolonged irritant effect. All conjunctivitis are divided into acute and chronic form. They differ in clinical manifestations.

Acute process - develops quickly, first affects one, then the second eye. Usually in the morning a person cannot open his eyes due to sticky secretions. They may be mucous or purulent in nature. Examination reveals conjunctival hyperemia. bright color, edema with turbidity.

Chronic - lasts a long time, patients complain of a feeling of "clogged" eyes, fatigue, heaviness of the eyelids, itching. On examination, there are few symptoms. Hyperemia is insignificant, the surface of the shell is compared with velvet tissue. There is little discharge, by nature it is mucopurulent.

Among acute conjunctivitis most often found:

• adenovirus - accompanies epidemic outbreaks of infection, but can proceed in isolation without common symptoms, at first, hyperemia is located in the region of transitional folds, on the second or third day it spreads to the entire conjunctiva, at the same time small punctate vesicles appear, submandibular and parotid lymph nodes increase, infiltrates on the cornea reduce vision;
• gonorrheal - it is considered to be the most severe inflammatory diseases conjunctiva, the mucous membrane is sharply hyperemic, edematous, bleeding, possibly rapid spread on the cornea of ​​​​the eye with its ulceration, in case of complications, perforation and death of the eye occurs;
• chlamydial, or follicular - develops with urogenital chlamydia, against the background of a hyperemic membrane, granular follicles appear with scanty discharge;
• viral keratoconjunctivitis - often recorded in outbreaks in children's institutions;
• allergic - is seasonal during the flowering of plants (hay fever variant) or is associated with household allergens, typical symptoms are lacrimation, eyelid edema and mucosal hyperemia;
• dry - occurs in hot climates and in elderly patients, hyperemia is moderate, patients complain of a sensation of a foreign body, "sand", especially when moving their eyes.

During the volumetric process, the eyeball is squeezed out

Causes of chronic conjunctivitis:

• irritation of a mechanical nature (dustiness of the workplace in flour-grinding, textile factories, in the production of bricks, at a construction site, in ceramic workshops, at woodworking enterprises);
• physical and chemical factors (smoke, contact with fumes toxic substances, acids and alkalis);
• chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines, vitamin deficiency, anemia, helminthic invasions, diseases of the paranasal sinuses disrupt the microcirculation of the eye.

A provoking factor may be impaired vision, refusal of glasses.

How do neighboring tissues change with conjunctival hyperemia?

The general blood supply of the conjunctiva of the eye and adjacent tissues is manifested in a combination of symptoms on the skin of the eyelids, in deep formations.

With blepharitis, scales, crusts form at the base of the eyelashes, in severe cases, ulcers

Hyperemia and edema of the eyelids is accompanied by painful sensations. Most common causes:

• allergic reactions (Quincke's edema) - in sensitive people it can be triggered by cold, drugs, food, household cleaning powders;
• blepharitis - inflammation is limited to the edges of the eyelids, they thicken, constantly red,
• barley - can affect the internal or external glands, hyperemia is local in nature, surrounds the site of edema and pain point, an abscess is formed here;
• chalazion - growth and inflammation of the internal subcutaneous gland, called meibomian, can remain after barley, is visible in the form of a grain;
• orbital phlegmon - extremely severe complication any inflammatory process, thrombophlebitis, the eyelids are sharply edematous, the hyperemia is cyanotic, the eye is squeezed out anteriorly, general state heavy.

What changes in microcirculation are detected during diagnostics?

The use of ophthalmoscopy allows you to study the disturbed microcirculation of the eye. With hyperemia of the conjunctiva, capillaries are filled with blood. Against the background of stagnation, the liquid fraction of blood in the eyeball is retained.

In addition to arterioles and venules, they are found dilated lymphatic ducts, even cellular elements are thrown into them. With a significant increase, you can see the "sludge" of red blood cells (microthrombosis caused by groups of red blood cells, not platelets).

Modern ophthalmoscopes allow you to fix the picture of the fundus, measure blood vessels

How is conjunctival hyperemia treated?

Depending on the reasons in the treatment are used:

• antibiotics and sulfonamides;
• drops with corticosteroids;
• antiviral interferon;
• antiseptic solution (Piclosidin, sodium sulfacyl);
• preparations based on cromoglycic acid (under the action of allergens).

In severe cases, patients are hospitalized in a specialized department. When treating at home, it is recommended to follow the doctor's prescriptions and hygiene requirements.

It is impossible to treat hyperemia on its own. big mistake allow people trying to use on their own eye ointments, compresses and poultices. These measures contribute to the spread of infection and aggravate the disease.

Red eyes are one of the most common symptoms of eye problems. We can say with certainty that almost everyone has encountered such a problem. The causes of redness can be very different, from ordinary overwork to serious illnesses eye. That is why you should pay attention to this symptom and, in case of its prolonged manifestation contact an optometrist.

Causes of redness of the eyes

So let's take a look possible reasons redness of the eyes, not related to vision diseases:

As you can see, there can be many reasons. However, most of them are fairly easy to fix. Most often, redness of the eyes is caused by prolonged visual stress. In this case, people whose activities are related to permanent job at a computer (or other gadget), it is recommended to take five-minute breaks after every half hour of work. During them, it is desirable to perform minimal gymnastics for the eyes: look into the distance, blink quickly, “squint” your eyes, etc.

However, unfortunately, redness of the eyes is not always caused by these factors; in some cases, this symptom provokes various diseases.

Among them:

• inflammatory and infectious diseases (for example, blepharitis);
• dry eye syndrome;
• corneal ulcer.

So, how to determine which factor caused the redness of the eyes? You need to watch yourself carefully. As a rule, with diseases, other symptoms will also occur. For example, with conjunctivitis, the eyes turn sour, crusts form, and with allergies, tearing and sneezing appear.

Situations in which it is necessary to contact an ophthalmologist:

• redness after injury, blow to the eye;
• decreased visual acuity;
• prolonged redness (more than a day);
• the presence of other symptoms (, nausea, discharge from the eyes, etc.);
• the symptom appeared after taking the medication.

Treatment

You can start treatment for redness of the eyes only after determining the cause. If the cause is not painful, then get rid of unpleasant symptom help to eliminate it.

Important! I wonder what specialists appoint? Read with us.

You can independently remove redness in the eyes with the help of:

• vitamin complexes for the eyes based on lutein;
• artificial tears;
• drugs that improve the blood supply to the eye.

In other cases, you should contact an ophthalmologist who, after diagnosis, prescribes the appropriate treatment. Its quality and effectiveness depends on the qualifications of the doctor and the technical equipment of the clinic.

Treatment of inflammatory and infectious eye diseases

The eye is most often caused by various viruses, infections,. Accordingly, the main goal of treatment is their elimination. For this, both local (drops, ointments) and internal treatment antibacterial drugs.

Allergy treatment

First of all, before starting treatment, it is necessary to determine which specific types of pathogens the body produces allergic reaction and minimize contact with the allergen. The next stage of treatment is the elimination of symptoms.

For this purpose, the following may be appointed:

• corticosteroids;
• histamine receptor blockers;
• mast cell membrane stabilizers.

These medications can be applied both topically, with the help of drops, Tavegil, for example, and inside (Opantol). In some cases, vasoconstrictor drugs are prescribed to remove redness (Vizin, Okumentin).

Glaucoma treatment

There are three methods of glaucoma treatment: medical, laser and surgical.
Drug is used to reduce intraocular pressure, improve ocular circulation and metabolism. For this, the following drops can be used:

1. Betoptik.
2. Fotil.
3. Procofelin.

Laser treatment is used to block the outflow of intraocular fluid. The method of action is as follows: a laser is applied to the necessary part of the eye, after which a microburn is formed on it, which is scarred and does not allow intraocular fluid to pass through.

Surgery is performed to reduce intraocular pressure and ensure normal circulation of blood and substances in the eye.

Treatment of dry eye syndrome

The main goal of treatment is to regularly moisten the eyes with artificial tears. To do this, the doctor prescribes a drug, which is called "Artificial tear". In some cases, surgery may be performed to correct the tear ducts. AT without fail all patients are prescribed to follow the preventive measures that you can find at the end of the article.

Treatment of astigmatism

To date, there are two main ways to treat astigmatism:

• optic;
• surgical.

Optical involves the patient wearing special lenses or glasses that allow him to see normally. Of course, this method can hardly be called a treatment; probably, supportive therapy would be more correct.
At the core surgical method lies the excimer - laser correction vision, which evaporates certain areas of the cornea, removing astigmatism.

Corneal ulcer treatment

After examining the eye by an ophthalmologist and diagnosing an ulcer, the damaged area is most often treated with brilliant green or iodine. In some cases, the ulcer surface is treated with a laser.

In addition, the physician may prescribe various drugs, the group of which depends on the cause that caused the disease. The drugs can be applied topically, orally, intravenously or intramuscularly. Sometimes physical therapy is prescribed.

Prevention

To prevent redness of the eyes, the following preventive measures must be observed:

1. Maintain eye hygiene. Take regular breaks during long work, properly arrange the workplace.
2. The monitor should always be slightly below eye level, at arm's length.
3. Adjust monitor brightness for ambient light.
4. If you are right-handed, then the lamp should be placed on the left (so the shadow from the hand will not cover the work area), but if you are left-handed, then everything is exactly the opposite.
5. Do exercises for the eyes after a long visual load.
6. Follow the daily routine, sleep at least 6-7 hours.
7. Eat a balanced diet, include foods rich in vitamin A.

Contact an ophthalmologist in a timely manner and conscientiously treat infectious diseases.