Question
Hi Dr. Berger, I'm new to this allexperts feature and I read up on your description and you sounded the most professional so I hope you can help me a bit here. Well, I just recently received new contact lenses about a month ago, and people kept commenting that my eyes are red. I've been very stressed lately. I have had vertigo dizziness. My heart has been palpitating, but this is all reactions to stress that I have been having, and I have been having enough sleep, but I've had to go to sleep really late like 3 or 4 in the morning and maybe wake up at noonish or earlier due to work related stuff. And my eyes have been pink without contact lenses. When I wear them, they do get a little more red, but I have taken them off for about a week and they were still slightly pink. Can stress and sleeping late cause red eyes? Can eye drops help get rid of the redness or do you think it's a reaction to the contact lenses? Thank you.
Answer
If your eyes are red even without wearing your contact lenses, then it is not due to your contact lenses. Stress, lack of sleep, interrupted sleep patterns, anxiety, medication side-effects, allegies, dry eyes, smoking, etc., ALL can cause red eyes, as well as low-grade infection. Hope this helps.
Dr. Ken
