Hello, my name is Gregory. When I was a young lad, I had to enter the health care world in an unexpected way. I developed a serious disease out of the blue that took doctors by surprise. I went through so many different testing procedures before my doctors could diagnose the rare disease. Everyone around me reeled as they tried to understand the purpose and process of the diagnostic tests. I hope to help others understand these important tests better through this website. Please come by often to learn all you need to know about medical diagnostics and working closely with health care professionals.
Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care
Why Are Your Eyes Always Red And Itchy?
Nanja Bongers
Do you frequently notice that your eyes look red and feel itchy? Itchy, red eyes are more than just an annoyance. Over time, this can cause scratches on your cornea as you rub your eyes -- and perhaps even bacterial infections as your eyes become less resistant to bacteria due to the constant irritation. It's important to figure out what's causing your eyes to be red and itchy so you can treat the problem at its source. Here are the most likely culprits.
Allergies
Pay close attention to when your eyes are the most irritated. Is it when you go outside? Perhaps it's when you lay your head down on a specific pillow, or after you put on makeup. The problem might be that you're allergic to something in your environment or something that you're applying in or near your eyes.
A good way to know if allergies are to blame is to visit your doctor for allergy testing. They will conduct a skin prick test, exposing your skin to various potential allergens, and read the test to determine what you're allergic to. You can then take steps to steer clear of pollen, dust mites, makeup, or whatever the allergen-to-blame might be... and your eyes should stay much clearer.
Contacts
Contact lenses, when sized and used appropriately, should not irritate your eyes. If you notice that your eyes are only irritated when you wear your contact lenses but are fine when you wear your glasses, then your contact are probably to blame. You may have accidentally gotten the wrong prescription, or perhaps the brand you have does not let your eyes breathe quite enough to suit their preferences.
Talk to your eye doctor; they can ensure you have the right size lenses and recommend a different brand if needed. You should also make sure you're cleaning and storing your lenses as recommended. Consider switching to a different brand of lens storage solution, as some contain preservatives that some people find irritating.
Infection
Did the eye irritation come on rather suddenly? Are you also noticing some white or yellow discharge from your eyes? Chances are, you have an eye infection. Most are caused by bacteria, which can be introduced to your eye when you share makeup with another person, use contaminated saline solution, or even rub your eye on a shirt that someone with an eye infection wore. The good news is that the infection should be easy to treat. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotic drops that will clear up your symptoms within a few days.
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