Red eyes do not necessarily mean pinkeye. Blind use of medication may delay treatment.

When many people notice red eyes, their first reaction is: "Do I have pinkeye?"

In fact, red eyes do not necessarily mean pinkeye. Red eyes are just a symptom that appears after the eyes are irritated or diseased. Different causes may have completely different treatment methods. Blindly following the "pink eye" treatment may delay treatment.

1. Why do eyes become red?

The whites of the eyes are distributed with tiny blood vessels, which are difficult to detect with the naked eye under normal conditions. After being stimulated, the tiny blood vessels expand and become filled with blood, causing the eyes to become red. Medically, this phenomenon is called conjunctival hyperemia.

There are many causes of red eyes. Various eye diseases such as overuse or eye fatigue, dry eye syndrome, eye allergies, external stimulation, keratitis, glaucoma, conjunctivitis, etc. may all cause conjunctival congestion.

2. What is the real “pink eye”?

The so-called "pink eye" usually refers to acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis caused by enterovirus. It is highly contagious and can cause clusters of disease in the population, causing an epidemic.

"Enterovirus" is the name of a class of viruses classified according to their characteristics and does not only infect the intestines. Some enteroviruses can be transmitted through contact. For example, when eye secretions from other patients, contaminated towels and other items come into contact with the eyes, enteroviruses can enter the conjunctiva and cause acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis.

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis caused by enterovirus usually has an acute onset, and common manifestations include:

1. The conjunctival blood vessels are dilated, congested, or even ruptured, and the white area of the eye appears obviously red. When the blood vessels rupture, point-like or flake-like bleeding occurs;

2. Foreign body sensation, stinging or burning sensation in the eyes;

3. Increased tears;

4. Swelling of eyelids;

5. Photophobia, eye discomfort, etc.

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis caused by enteroviruses is a self-limiting disease and usually has a good prognosis.

3. Eyes are red

Don't rush to drop eye drops indiscriminately

Many people will buy so-called "anti-inflammatory eye drops" for use after discovering that their eyes are red. But the causes of redness are different, and the treatments are also different. There is no need to use anti-inflammatory eye drops for eye redness caused by eye fatigue or dry eye syndrome. If you drop them, they will be ineffective and may hurt your eyes. Viral infection causes red eyes, and antibacterial eye drops have no effect; if hormone-containing eye drops are abused, they can easily mask the condition and induce an increase in intraocular pressure. Therefore, eye drops are not a "panacea" for all red eye problems. When persistent discomfort or obvious symptoms occur, it is recommended to seek medical advice first to determine the cause, and then to treat the symptoms accordingly.

4. Do these things well

Reduce the occurrence of eye problems

In daily life, you can protect your eyes in the following ways:

1. Wash your hands frequently and avoid rubbing your eyes with dirty hands. If there is a patient at home, wash your hands immediately after touching items used by them, and disinfect tabletops, door handles, etc. that they come into contact with;

2. Do not share towels, wash basins, eye drops and other personal items with others;

3. Wear contact lenses correctly and keep the wearing time within 8 hours during the day. Wearing contact lenses overnight or taking a nap is strictly prohibited;

4. Arrange the time for using electronic products reasonably and avoid using your eyes at close range for a long time;

5. Ensure adequate sleep and reduce eye fatigue;

6. Do not squeeze or press the eyeball hard.

When your eyes are red, don't be overly nervous. Clean them, apply hot and cold compresses, and reduce eye use. Do some home care and observation. Do not self-medicate. If you have obvious eye pain, decreased vision, severe photophobia, and a large amount of secretions, please go to the ophthalmology department of the hospital for medical treatment in time. The cause will be clarified and treatment will be standardized.

(China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WeChat official account)