Eye Health
Red and painful eyes
Eyes can become red and painful for a number of reasons - including some that require immediate treatment - so always take a red, painful eye seriously, especially if the vision is affected.
Chemical burns, especially from caustics, can destroy an eye very quickly. Immediate copious flushing of the eye with saline or tap water for at least 15 minutes should be done even while waiting for emergency care.
Some Red Eye Causes
- Trauma - sharp or blunt, leaving foreign bodies, scratches, cuts, bruises, bleeds and internal eye effects
- Radiation - welding flash, sun exposure
- Chemical burns
- Acute glaucoma - raised fluid pressure in the eye. Most people with glaucoma have the slow, symptomless kind, but if the eye pressure rises suddenly, the eye will be red and sore.
- Complications from contact lens wear
- Infections
- Inflammation
- Allergy
- Growths on the eye
- "Dry" eyes - poor tear quality
Sorting out the cause, and therefore the treatment, for a sore, red eye requires careful examination.
Never delay getting a red eye seen to.
Further information
British Medical Journal summary of red eye
Eye Health Facts
Ever wondered why cutting onions makes you cry?
As you slice an onion, the onion cells release a gas into the air. When this gas contacts the eye, it turns into weak sulphuric acid in the moist tear layer that coats the eye. Nerve endings in the cornea react to the acid, causing the sting, and trigger the lacrimal (tear) glands to produce lots of tears in an attempt to further dilute and flush away the acid.
If onions are in water, or near running water when cut, there will be much less gas in the air, and you are less likely to start crying.