Blood Shot Eyes

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BLOOD SHOT EYES

As eye problems go, bloodshot eyes are easy to self-diagnose: The tiny network of blood vessels on the surface of your eyeballs are swollen and your eyes are red. Anything that irritates your eyes can leave them instantly blood shot: Wind. Crying. A smoke-filled room. An allergic reaction to pets. Mold. Even troublesome makeup.

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Chill

Applying a cold compress to your eyes for 30 minutes will shrink your swollen blood vessels. Wrap ice cubes in a clean wash cloth or just use a damp wash cloth. It brings the swelling way down.

Artificial tears to the rescue

They whiten your eyes immediately, but they will lubricate end remoisten, ease that stinging feeling and clear up the underlying irritation that makes your eyes red. Naturale, are available over the counter at your local drugstore. If you wear contacts, rewetting drops will work. They serve the same function as artificial tears.

Use medicated eyedrops only in an emergency

Over-the-counter eyedrops, such as Murine and Visine, are medicated, they contain a vasoconstrictive substance that will shrink your blood vessels for about 45 minutes. So if you need to show up an important meeting with crystal clear eyes, it's okay to pop in a few drops. But use medicated drops sparingly. The more you use medicated eyedrops, the more you need them. It's a medical situation that we call rebound hyperemia. If your eyes are chronically bloodshot, you need to find out why and not just mask the symptom.