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
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
What can I do about dry eyes with contact lenses?
Talk with us at your next eye appointment, as there are a range of things we can do, in order to make CL wear more comfortable:
- Change your contact lens design or material.
- Move to daily disposable lenses
- Some people who are always uncomfortable in soft lenses can be successfully fitted into rigid gas-permeable lenses.
- Remove and rinse, and reinsert lenses half way through your wearing time.
- Lubricant eye drops
- Change wearing patterns
If you have any concerns about your eyes or contact lenses, please be in touch.
Ask an Optometrist
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