Red Eye

Yes. There can be a bloodshot appearance to the eye, meaning that the blood vessels on the white part of the eye are dilated and fuller looking than normal. Infections, inflammatory conditions, acute glaucoma, allergies, dry eye, corneal abrasions and trauma / foreign body are some of the more common causes of this kind of red eye.

Another form of red eye can be where the white of the eye looks uniformly red like a red spot or hemorrhage. This can be in a focal area, or throughout the white of the eye. This type of red eye comes from a hemorrhage from a small blood vessel on the surface of the eye.

In actuality, red eye is not a specific diagnosis, but a physical finding which indicates pathology in the eye.

Not necessarily. “Pink eye” usually refers to viral conjunctivitis. This is when a virus similar to the common cold virus infects the eye, and results in itchy, watery eyes with a bloodshot appearance. While this kind of red eye is infectious and can spread readily to others, there are many kinds of red eye which are NOT infectious.

An evaluation with an ophthalmologist can help determine whether or not a red eye is infectious.

Pain (either a scratchy or aching sensation), discharge, increased light sensitivity, or a significant change in vision could indicate a more serious problem.

Some of these problems could include corneal ulcers, acute glaucoma, a corneal foreign body, or iritis (inflammation of the eye), all of which usually need urgent care.