为什么你的眼睛会红
What's causing those red eyes? If the eyes are the mirrors of the soul, bloodshot eyes are the mirrors of your health, letting you know that something's going on either with your eyes themselves or in another part of your body. But because so many conditions can cause one or both of your eyes to take on a reddish hue, it's not always easy to figure out what's causing the redness-and what you should do about it. "Usually the eyes turn red because the blood vessels on the surface of the eye get dilated or inflamed," explains Jessica Lee, MD, assistant professor of vitreoretinal surgery, department of ophthalmology at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. "And there are a multitude of reasons that can happen." Some of these reasons are simple and have an easy fix, while others are more serious; red, inflamed, and/or itchy eyes could be the first sign of a condition that may have a real impact on your vision. We asked Dr. Lee to explain all the things that could cause red eyes, so you can better determine why you're sporting the bloodshot look and how to treat it. Allergies Not only can an allergic reaction make your eyes feel bad-think itchy, and watery-but allergies also trigger a blotchy kind of redness, which only becomes worse if you scratch your eyes. "Allergic reactions occur when the body's natural immune system overworks or has an excessive response to a harmless stimulus," says Dr. Lee. Almost anything can set off a reaction, but the most common allergens are dust, pollen, pet dander, and detergent. The redness will start to go away once you are no longer exposed to the allergen, but that can take a while, depending on the severity of your allergy. To speed things up, splash your eyes with water or use a cool compress on them. Over-the-counter eyedrops designed to counter allergies can help, as can antihistamine meds. Try to figure out what caused your reaction and avoid coming into contact with it again, advises Dr. Lee. |