Today’s modern technology poses more risks to human health. Not because technology is bad but because the wrong use of technology can be a risk factor for underlying health issues.
One of the health problems commonly associated with the technology is eye problems. Too much screen time can lead to dry or red, bloodshot eyes. The eyes can turn red when there’s an inflammation in the blood vessels on the white surface of the eye.
However, too much use of technology is not the only possible cause for bloodshot eyes. There are several causes for eye redness, some of which could be serious when not given immediate medical attention. If you’re suffering from eye redness for days, read on, it might be caused by any of the following issues:
1. You have dry eyes
Spending a long time in front of the computer can lead to dry eyes, medically known as dry eye syndrome. Your eyes need tears as lubricants that enable you to have a clear vision. Without tears, it can become dry, irritated, and reddened. When you’re staring too much on the screen, you will blink less, which in turn can dry the eyes.
Dry eye syndrome can also develop due to lack of sleep, extended use of contact lenses, medications, and hormonal changes. If this symptom is not accompanied by any pain, you can correct this issue by buying artificial tears or eye drops for dry eyes from the drugstore. These products can be bought over the counter. Prescriptions are not that strictly required unless you’re taking certain medications.
2. You have irritated eyes
Even without seeing them, your eyes can get irritated from the environment. These irritants include dry air, sun exposure, dust and other irritants from the air, which trigger allergic reactions.
When it’s only a slight reaction, the eye redness will go away after a few days. But if it won’t and is accompanied by itchiness, you may need to take over the counter anti-allergens.
3. You have injured eyes
Eye injury can also cause bloodshot eyes. This can happen when you accidentally wipe your eye with sharp fingernails, or a tiny insect accidentally enters the eye. Though you succeeded in picking out the poor insect, your eye remains red and inflamed. This is because the blood vessels in the eye enlarged and dilated to allow more blood flow to aid in the healing process of the injury.
If the redness doesn’t clear after a few days and you feel some pain, you might need medical help for possible serious eye injury.
4. Your cornea gets an infection
Your eye is covered with a clear tissue known as the cornea. When this cornea gets infected, the blood vessels will enlarge as they allow cells to come and fight the infection while turning the eye into a reddish color.
An infection in the outer layer of the cornea is also called corneal ulcer. This can be caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses from plants, improperly cleaned contact lenses, low immunity, eye abrasions or scratches, severely dry eyes, or wearing contact lenses through the night.
Seeking medical help is the best way to treat corneal ulcer and infections to prevent possible blindness or vision loss.
5. Your eye suffers from a subconjunctival hemorrhage
If the eye turns bloodshot red, it might be caused by a subconjunctival hemorrhage that results from the breakage of a blood vessel underneath the conjunctiva or the clear tissue that covers the eye surface.
Because the blood from the damaged blood vessel has nowhere to go, it remains under the eye’s surface and causes the eye to swell.
A subconjunctival hemorrhage is usually caused by pushing something very hard, lifting too heavy objects, or coughing too hard. But this is not a cause for concern because the eye can heal and repair itself without help unless there’s pain or visual problems.
6. You may have glaucoma problems
Some eye redness can also be caused by something more serious, especially if it’s accompanied by a grueling pain in the eye and vision problems like blurring. This can be a serious case of acute angle closure glaucoma, which needs immediate medical treatment.
7. You may have uveitis
Uveitis is another eye problem that should be given emergency medical care. Failure to do so may lead to serious eye conditions such as uveitic glaucoma or retinal and choroidal scarring.
Uveitis can occur when the eye’s uvea becomes inflamed. Symptoms include eye redness, pain, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light.
Lifestyle Factors that Cause Eye Redness
Eye redness can also be caused by the activities you do daily. These include the following:
8. Spending too much time on screen
As we have stated earlier, computer or gadget use can have debilitating effects on your eyes if you don’t manage your computer usage well. Staring at the screen for long periods can deplete your eye of moisture, which causes it to become dry and red.
Taking frequent breaks, blinking, and looking up to a distant object for every 20 minutes can reduce eye strain and dryness.
9. Not getting enough sleep
Your body needs to get enough sleep for overall health. Sleep also enables your body to heal and revitalize itself. This means your eyes also benefit from adequate sleep. Staying awake longer into the night can put a strain on your eyes. Hence, you get red and puffy eyes when you lack sleep.
10. Smoking
10. SmokingCigarette smoking is a bad habit that not only threatens your physical health but your vision as well. The harmful chemicals released from smoking can irritate the membrane of the eyes leading to bloodshot eyes. Cataracts are also linked to smoking.
11. Drinking
Drinking alcohol is another negative habit that can cause eye redness. This happens when the blood vessels in the eye widen allowing for more blood flow. This process is called vasodilation, which is your body’s response to the presence of alcohol in the body.
12. Swimming
If you wonder why your eyes turn red after swimming in the pool, here’s the ugly truth, swimmers peed in the pool. Yes, you read it right.
The chief of the CDC healthy swimming program, Michele Hlavsa, reveals that when the nitrogen in the urine and the chlorine in the pool are mixed, it will form into a chloramine, which can cause redness in the eyes.
The next time you’re in a big pool filled with people, weigh your options right. Diving in might not only give you red eyes but other pool-related health issues as well.
