Question
my situation may be rare.... i have had constant red eyes for over a decade and it really doesn't affect me; i don't feel irritation or any pain whatsoever. i have tried several treatments and when I put eye drops on it works for a while but then my eyes actually get redder than before. however i have gone to several doctors and they cant seem to diagnose the problem, i was wondering if you could give me an opinion
Answer
Well, I certainly understand why the eye drops only help for a short while. Those products mostly contain a vasoconstrictor - a chemical that makes blood vessels shrink - artificially - without fixing the problem. In many cases, when the vasoconstrictor wears off, there is a rebound effect and the blood vessels get fatter (and your eyes get redder) than ever. For this reason, it is best to restrict use of those products to very rare occasions (like an important interview) when you absolutely must look perfect.
As for why your eyes are red all the time, I cannot say without examining you myself. But I am going to give you some things to consider that may help figure it out.
- are you eyes more red early in the AM (suggesting some irritant in your house or bedroom) or worse later in the day, like when you are outside?
- are they worse when you are doing any particular visual activity (such as extended computer use) which could indicate an eyestrain situation that you have just become used to and don't realize the strain.
-are they more red in certain seasons - suggesting of course seasonal allergies
- have you been tested for dry eye?
- " " " " " lid conditions such as meibomianitis or blepharitis?
- is there any chance your shampoo, laundry detergent or soap is an irritant?
- how about cosmetics you put near your eyes?
- do you wear contact lenses? If so, are the eyes more red when wearing them? It could be a reaction to the contact lens solution.
Unfortunately, sometimes eye doctors look for the more obvious conditions when doing your regular eye exam because there are a whole of other tests to get done - your refraction, eye pressure test, retinal exam, etc. If you were to choose a doctor who really listens to your complaint and takes the time to test carefully based on symptoms AND if you made a separate appointment JUST to check out the redness, you may have better luck.
