Doctor explains why your eyes are bloodshot and when you should seek medical help

I'm sure many of us have at least once looked in the mirror and noticed our eyes have gone from white to a reddy pink without even noticing.

'Why are my eyes so red when I wake up?', you might find yourself pondering. Well, the reason why we get bloodshot eyes is extremely varied.

First of all, it is not always serious. It can happen easily and can also go away pretty quickly. But there are certain situations where it can be quite a serious outcome. And in those, you really need to be getting medical help quickly.

With this in mind, LADbible spoke with Dr Diane Hilal-Campo, a certified ophthalmologist, who diagnoses and treat eye diseases as well as perform eye surgery.

When you don't need to worry that much about bloodshot eyes

Dr Hilal-Campo, founder and owner at Twenty / Twenty Beauty, told LADbible about the science behind why your eyes can easily get bloodshot.

And when you've done this easily, it's usually a situation where you don't need to worry too much.

"Eyes appear bloodshot when the blood vessels in the whites of your eyes are swollen, making them more visible than usual," she said.

"There are many things that can cause bloodshot eyes, ranging from more innocuous to serious. The most common causes of bloodshot eyes include allergies, dry eyes, and irritation."

Dry eyes is a common cause in the modern age, with millions of us looking at screens more; in particular before sleeping. Staring at a screen causes you to blink less, which can worsen the dryness.

Meenal Agarwal OD, an optometrist in Ontario, Canada, adds that screen time can also strain our eyes and cause redness. She said: "Nowadays, we see eye strain as a major cause of eye redness even in children.

"We spend a lot of time staring and not blinking when looking at screens or reading in low light, so we wake up with bloodshot eyes."

A young woman suffering from bloodshot eyes (Getty Stock Images)

When you should see a doctor over your bloodshot eyes

Given how common getting a bloodshot eye can be, and how they can very often fix themselves on their own, you'd be forgiven for letting the issue go by without really thinking about it.

But there are occasions where you really need to seek help, as the red and pink colouring could be a sign of something a lot more serious.

"While something as simple as getting an eyelash in your eye or feeling discomfort from a contact lens can cause redness, especially if you rub your eyes, bloodshot eyes can also be a sign of something more concerning," Dr Hilal-Campo said.

"That includes injuries like a corneal scratch, which can turn into an infection if not addressed quickly. Or inflammatory issues like blepharitis and uveitis.

"Infections like conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers, as well as glaucoma, can also be characterised by bloodshot eyes."

You might need to see a doctor (Getty Stock Images)

Uveitis is inflammation inside your eye that often comes from an infection. It can also be caused by autoimmune conditions like inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms include blurry vision, extreme sensitivity to light, and pain in the eye.

If you don't treat uveitis, it can cause vision loss. So don't mess about if you have the above symptoms. A treatment of steroids is usually prescribed to clear it up.

Blepharitis is doctor speak for inflammation on your eyelids and is usually caused by clogged oil glands at the bottom of the eyelids. It's common for people who have rosacea; a skin condition that causes redness on the face.

If you've got bloodshot eyes and other symptoms of illness, and you can't think of any, best see a doctor urgently, Dr Hilal-Campo concludes.

She says: "If you can't pinpoint a very obvious and more innocuous cause, like allergies or a cold, and you are experiencing other serious side effects like headache, nausea, or seeing halos, seek treatment from an eye doctor immediately."