Coping with RED EYE

This is a general term to describe irritated, red and bloodshot eyes

- Dr. Gill

Redness in your eye happens when tiny blood vessels under its surface swell or becomes inflamed. It's usually a reaction to something irritating one or both eyes, and it can develop over time or appear suddenly.

Common simple causes of red eye include allergies, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, dry eye or a minor eye injury. There's usually nothing to worry about, and it will often get better on its own, but you need to be aware of when, sometimes, it's serious and needs urgent medical help.

Many different conditions can cause it, and your symptoms will point to why you have it. A bright red area in the white of the eye may simply be a burst blood vessel. A gritty or sticky red eye may be conjunctivitis. Dry eye results in sore, blurry or watery eyes, while blepharitis gives sore, itchy or red eyelids. Other eyelid problems, such as local infection, can cause swollen, drooping or twitching eyelids, or a lump on one lid, with redness.

Med diet best

Comparing 40 studies of seven popular dietary programmes and risk of major cardiovascular events and deaths shows that diets promoting Mediterranean and low-fat diets - with or without physical activity or other interventions - reduced all-cause mortality and non-fatal heart attacks. Mediterranean diets were also statistically likely to reduce stroke risk. The absolute effects were more pronounced for patients at high risk, with no convincing differences between Mediterranean and low-fat dietary programmes.

If your eye doesn't hurt and your sight isn't affected, it's less likely to be serious and may recover on its own in a few days. Until then, avoid touching or rubbing the eye, and don't wear contact lenses.

Ask your pharmacist or your optician about available self-care treatments - such as cleaning solutions, dry eye drops or medicines, including some antibiotic drops.