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Effects of Red Eye on dry eye

It is not out of the ordinary to meet people with red eyes. Red eye is not a unique disease. The condition is actually related to a wide assortment of eye disorders. Some of these diseases are benign or self-limiting, and of little consequence. But others can be more harmful and could be sight-threatening if left unattended. On occasion, red eye can be the first sign of a more deep-seated systemic disease.

Red eye becomes visible when certain parts of the eye get so inflamed that their blood vessels become enlarged. Under normal conditions, these blood vessels are so tiny they seem to be not there at all. Since they become swollen, the hair-thin vessels become more visible, imparting the red or pink colour to the eye.

Red eye conditions emerge mostly because of conjunctivitis (infection in the conjunctiva, the mucous tissue that lines the inner side of the eyelid and the sclera) and episcleritis (infection in the tissue connecting the conjunctiva to the sclera, the white part of the eye). Diseases of the cornea, iris, and other parts of the eye may also cause red eye.

The more infrequent diseases associated with red eye include acute glaucoma, corneal ulcer (on the corneal surface caused by, for example, years of contact lens use and bacteria) and dendritic ulcer (a herpes simplex infection in the inner tissues of the cornea). Generally, some ache accompanies the redness, and some discharge. These underlying health issues can progress into something very severe and sight-threatening.

In particular cases, red eye can also induce you to experience agglomeration of very small beads of calcium salts within the mucous glands in the conjunctiva. The particles break off and stray into the eye every so often, causing sandy sensations. The beads may also reconstitute the composition of the tear film and cause dry eye.

There is also the possibility of dry eye symptoms being present in red eye patients with underlying rheumatoid arthritis. Red eye may also exist in those who have sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease in which immune cells coagulate together to form small balls, causing all sorts of disorders in the organs where they build up. When sarcoidosis affects your eye, you are likely to suffer blurred vision, high sensitivity to light and glare, and pain. If left untreated, chronic sarcoidosis in the eye can lead to blindness.

Treatment

Conjunctivitis has a limited cycle and usually is resolved within 3 months. Antibiotics help to shorten the process. Your ophthalmologist may recommend topical antibiotic drops, to be applied every other hour, supported with ointment before retiring. This type of treatment plan runs about five days, and after the initial flare up has subsided, use of the eye drops can be reduced to four times a day.

The dry eye symptoms felt together with conjunctivitis are often relieved by artificial tears and cyclosporine mixed into castor oil. More severe conditions will are best served by professional care and evaluation.

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