5 Ways to Overcome Red Eyes

Pink eye is most often caused by irritation and infection of the eye. However, some things can also cause red eyes, such as bleeding or dilation of eye blood vessels, swollen eyelids, dry eyes, allergic reactions, to eye injuries.

Red eyes need to be treated in the right way. There are various ways to deal with red eyes, ranging from natural treatments to the use of eye drops.

Various Ways to Overcome Red Eyes

How to treat pink eye varies, depending on the underlying cause. However, to relieve mild red eye symptoms, you can apply the following treatments:

1. Use a warm compress

The method is quite easy. Soak a towel in a basin of warm water and wring it out, then place it over the red eye for 10-15 minutes. This method can increase blood flow around the eyes and treat eye irritation. That way, complaints of red eyes can subside.

2. Give a cold compress

If the red eye does not go away after being given a warm compress, you can try another way, namely compressing the eye with a cold compress. Cold compresses are usually more effective at treating red eyes, puffy eyes, and itching due to irritation or allergies.

3. Use a humidifier

The use of air conditioning in a closed room can make the air dry, thus triggering the occurrence of red eyes. To overcome the complaints of red eyes due to this, it is recommended that you use an air humidifier or humidifier.

Besides being able to humidify the air, this tool can also clean the air from dust and dirt so that the eyes are at a lower risk of exposure to dust that causes irritation or allergies.

4. Drop artificial tears

The use of artificial tear drops is useful for maintaining eye moisture and cleaning the eyes. Red eye due to prolonged use of contact lenses or dry eye syndrome will also improve quickly if treated with artificial tears.

5. Use eye drops

In addition to the natural methods above, you can also use eye drops on the market or over-the-counter without a doctor's prescription. However, before you buy and use it, first look at the contents and uses of these eye medications.

Antihistamine eye drops are used to relieve red eyes caused by allergies. Meanwhile, eye drops containing decongestants are used to reduce red eyes due to dilation of eye blood vessels.

Both types of eye medications should not be used in the long term or more than 3 days. To minimize the side effects, you are advised to use this drug according to the instructions listed on the packaging.

If the cause of pink eye is not known for certain, it is recommended that you consult an ophthalmologist before using eye drops.

How to Prevent Red Eyes

In order to avoid red eye, you can take several preventive steps, namely:

• Wash hands with soap and running water regularly.
• Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes.
• Avoid red eye trigger factors, such as cigarette smoke, dust, or harsh chemical soaps.
• Use sunglasses to protect your eyes from dust and sunlight when you are outside the home.
• Change sheets, pillowcases, and towels every week.
• Change and care for contact lenses that are worn regularly to prevent irritation and injury to the eyes. Don't forget to also clean your contact lenses regularly.
• Rest your eyes after staring at a computer screen or gadget for a long time.

Mild pink eye or not caused by a serious eye disease will generally go away on its own within a few days or improve in the various ways mentioned above.

However, if your red eye condition does not subside within 1 week or is accompanied by other complaints, such as pain, discharge of pus or blood, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light, immediately consult a doctor. That way, the doctor can determine how to treat red eyes according to the cause.