What are some causes of red eye, pink eye, or bloodshot eye ?
Red eye, pink eye, or bloodshot eye is when the white part of the eye has turned pink or red. This happens when the small blood vessels on the surface of the eye become dilated and more visible. Some of the causes include:
- Tumors inside the eye or eye socket
- Blood clots or vascular malformations in the eye socket or the brain
- Infection of the eyelid skin or cellulitis
- Infection or inflammation inside the eye: endophthalmitis, uveitis
- Scratch or infection on the surface of the eye: corneal abrasion or ulcer
- Infection or inflammation of the surface of the eye: conjunctivitis, episcleritis, scleritis
- Bleeding on the surface of the eye
- Infection of eyelashes or blepharitis
- Glaucoma
- Dry eyes
- Allergies
Some of these conditions can cause permanent vision loss or in rare cases death. Early diagnosis and treatment can often prevent these complications. If you have recently developed red eye, contact your ophthalmologist today to make an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam.