Extremely bloodshot eyes

Redness appears when small blood vessels on the eye surface widen or leak. Dryness, dust, contact-lens irritation, rubbing and a small surface bleed can make an eye look dramatic. Conjunctivitis may cause discharge, gritty discomfort and redness; allergic conjunctivitis more often causes itching and watering in both eyes. The appearance alone cannot show whether a deeper eye problem is present, so pain and vision are key details.

Do not rub the eye. Wash your hands, pause contact-lens use, and rinse away an irritant with clean water or sterile saline. Avoid sharing towels, pillows or eye cosmetics if discharge is present. A cool compress may soothe itch; use only drops recommended for your symptoms and avoid someone else’s prescription drops. Arrange review if redness is worsening, recurrent or not settling.

Seek urgent eye care for significant pain, reduced or blurred vision, strong light sensitivity, an injury, a chemical splash, a foreign body that will not wash out, severe headache with nausea, or redness around a contact-lens wearer’s painful eye. Get emergency help for sudden vision loss or swelling of the face, lips or tongue with breathing trouble.

Tell the clinician whether one or both eyes are affected, when redness began, and whether there is discharge, itching, pain, light sensitivity or vision change. Mention contact lenses, injury, chemical exposure, allergies, recent illness and any eye drops used.