Bloodshot Eyes

Problem: I have red, bloodshot eyes that just look awful. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with lack of sleep, and I don't drink alcohol, so what am I doing wrong?

Solution: Many things can cause the blood vessels in the eye to swell and look more obvious. Alcohol consumption and a lack of sleep are only two of the possibilities. Contact lenses, exposure to smoke, rubbing your eyes, allergies, dry air, staring at a project or computer monitor all day and overusing eyedrops can all make the blood vessels in the eye look like roadmaps.

A humidifier can help, and so can remembering to blink regularly during the day. To reduce dryness, the natural tear products and eyewashes found at the drugstore are a great option. Eye drops, like Visine, used repeatedly can aggravate the problem by causing a rebound effect, making the blood vessels swell even more (Sources: Visine product warning label and Ophthalmology, November 1991, pages 1364–1367). You should only use Visine-type products occasionally.

For those who have chronic eye redness, it is very important to make an appointment with your physician (or ophthalmologist) to determine if there is an underlying disease like ocular rosacea causing the problem.