What are the causes of unilateral eye redness and how to diagnose it?

What are the causes of unilateral eye redness and how to diagnose it? Gangnam Smile Eye Clinic

Clear up your blurry vision.

This is Gangnam Smile Eye Clinic.

Whether you're a student or an office worker,

after pulling all-nighters studying or working overtime,

when fatigue builds up, your eyes can feel dry

and the whites of your eyes might turn bright red.

Many of you have probably experienced this.

We usually call this 'redness' or 'bloodshot eyes',

but sometimes, only one eye gets red.

Why does this happen?

In this post, we'll cover everything from the causes to the diagnostic methods

in detail.

What is unilateral eye redness?

It's a symptom where the conjunctival blood vessels in the left or right eye expand,

making the white part of the eye appear red.

People often say that a 'capillary burst' in one eye.

According to Naver Knowledge Encyclopedia,

unilateral eye redness can be caused by

diseases you've never heard of before, such as

episcleritis, uveitis, or endophthalmitis.

However, I'd like to tell you about much more important

causes of redness that are closely related to your daily life,

and how to manage them.

Causes of Unilateral Eye Redness

<1> Excessive Blood Circulation

The eyeball is the area where the most blood flows

and where the most nutrients are supplied.

If we look at this part in more detail, it's as follows:

The lens is transparent, and it's filled with

tiny blood vessels extending from the optic nerve.

Normally, these aren't directly visible to our eyes,

but when blood pressure rises or stress increases,

leading to a sudden increase in blood flow, a lot of blood is supplied

to the retinal blood vessels. At this time, the blood vessels become visible,

and you can see unilateral eye redness.

<2> Accumulated Fatigue

Following up on the previous cause, the eyes are one of the body's organs

that are used non-stop from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep.

As such, they are greatly affected by fatigue and overall condition.

When you stay up all night, work overtime, or study late,

and that accumulated fatigue overwhelms your eyes,

your eyes rapidly transport blood to supply nutrients quickly.

During this process, if blood starts to rush to the retinal blood vessels,

the vessels swell, and as a result, we can see

unilateral eye redness easily with our own eyes.

Especially, frequent use of smartphones, gaming, watching YouTube,

and watching videos in dark environments, which increase eye fatigue,

can lead to frequent redness.

<3> Conjunctivitis

You've probably heard of conjunctivitis often.

When your eyes are irritated by pollen allergies, viruses, or rubbing your eyes,

inflammation can occur in these two areas:

the bulbar conjunctiva and

the palpebral conjunctiva.

There are various reasons for inflammation.

UV rays, dust, foreign objects, friction, frequent eye rubbing,

allergies, contact with contaminated water, and incorrect eye drop application

can all be problematic.

The important thing is that when conjunctivitis occurs,

the white part of the eye appears generally pink/reddish,

unlike a normal eye.

This is a different symptom from simply burst capillaries due to fatigue,

so it's important to visit a specialized ophthalmologist

for examination, diagnosis, and treatment.

<4> Dry Eyes

The same applies when your eyes are dry.

This is a problem where the necessary blood, bodily fluids, etc., are not properly supplied to the eyeball.

In such cases, the blood vessels in the eyes may supply excessive blood

to provide the necessary moisture,

which can result in unilateral eye redness.

There's a simple test below; if you relate to 2 or more of these,

please visit an ophthalmologist.

Especially if dry eye syndrome is not short-term but chronic

or its frequency has worsened, there might be other ophthalmic issues.

Therefore, it's highly recommended to get an examination at a hospital.

<5> Increased Intraocular Pressure

This is a very rare case, so I'll explain it briefly.

When eye pressure increases, eye redness occurs

accompanied by headaches. At this time, if the optic nerve

is damaged, it can lead to glaucoma.

Such cases are truly rare,

but the symptoms are similar to simple redness

and progress slowly. So, if you are older,

don't dismiss even mild symptoms easily

and be sure to visit a hospital.

Solutions for Unilateral Eye Redness

The best way is to relieve eye fatigue

and increase the eye's temperature.

Some people might hear this and sleep with an eye mask,

but if you do, you must pay strict attention to hygiene.

If an eye mask is not used cleanly,

bacteria and viruses can penetrate and cause eye problems,

and when the eyes warm up, the risk of bacterial growth also increases.

The best method is to apply a warm compress to your eyes

with a warm towel.

Additionally, it's important to reduce screen time for electronic devices like smartphones and PCs,

and create an environment where your eyes can rest.

However, if despite these efforts,

unilateral eye redness occurs frequently

and you experience problems like headaches or dry eyes,

it's likely not just simple redness but a specific eye-related condition.

Therefore, please get a thorough examination.

<Conclusion>

For those who have read this article to the end,

how are your eyes feeling right now?

Are they dry and tired?

Did you just look in a hand mirror and see burst capillaries

and severe redness?

If your vision has also slightly worsened

and you're experiencing headaches,

this is not a problem to take lightly.

Unlike other body parts, eye problems don't usually manifest with direct pain;

instead, they worsen quietly and gradually.

If you're experiencing discomfort in your daily life due to the symptoms mentioned above,

please visit a nearby ophthalmologist or specialized hospital

for a diagnosis.

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