Red Eyes

Well... if she attempted to treat this using standard over-the-counter drops meant for conjunctivitis, she might want to try Refresh eye drops instead. I’ve been using them for years; they help significantly with my redness and dry eyes, and even though the discoloration persists, regular use makes a difference. Regardless, she should definitely consult her doctor first.

Watch out when you're using those eye drops....
Pay close attention to the subheading here— drugs can actually cause harm

Bradley Baker said:Hey there

So here's the deal. My mom keeps dealing with these bouts of red eyes. It’s like this recurring cycle where it flares up every couple of months and just hangs around for about a week at a time.
She actually went to see her doctor, and he gave her the whole "viral conjunctivitis" diagnosis, but honestly, I’m not buying it—it feels like he's just brushing it off.
Has anyone else dealt with something similar or had any luck figuring out what's actually going on?
Right now, she’s been using those new Visine drops, but so far, they haven't done a single thing to help.

I actually went through the exact same thing as your mom.
Same diagnosis, too. Honestly, there isn't much choice besides using whatever medicated drops the doctor prescribes—I used Tobrex.
I even went to see an ophthalmologist, who suggested chamomile compresses to let the eye fight it off naturally.
If you need to be sure, maybe get an eye swab done at the specialist's office.
Just rest the eyes as much as possible—squinting helps during a flare-up—use the chamomile compresses, and stay away from the computer or TV.
Also, maybe check if it's just allergies.

My eyes get bloodshot all the time from staring at crappy monitors, so I try to take breaks and step outside for some fresh air just to give them a rest. It’s easier to just wear my glasses while I'm working, but since I'm nearsighted and wear contacts, I usually just stick with the lenses—even though I know that actually strains my eyes more.
I've always hated using drops like Golden Dragon or whatever else is on the shelf. They constrict the blood vessels in your eyes, which basically chokes off the oxygen and nutrients. Instead, I just use sterile saline solution. I'm not sure if that's the right move, but I haven't had any issues so far.

Maybe try chamomile at night as a compress—it’s pretty much as natural as it gets, and I guess it couldn't really hurt.
Unless we're talking about a serious infection, then you probably need actual medicine.

Guys, I am begging for some help here... my eyes have been bloodshot constantly. I’ve got this nasty virus going on—coughing, sneezing, the whole bit—but at the same time, my eyes are bright red and watering like crazy.

I’ve never had red eyes when I get a cold before, so now I’m sitting here wondering: is this actually linked to the virus, or am I just losing it?

I'll step in here. It’s highly likely, so don't sweat it. Just crush that height.

Douglas King7 said:Guys, I am begging for some help here... my eyes have been bloodshot constantly. I’ve got this nasty virus going on—coughing, sneezing, the whole bit—but at the same time, my eyes are bright red and watering like crazy.

I’ve never had red eyes when I get a cold before, so now I’m sitting here wondering: is this actually linked to the virus, or am I just losing it?

I dealt with the exact same thing. Honestly, I still get it off and on sometimes. It was mostly this burning sensation in my eyes that seemed to hit right whenever my throat was acting up. I ended up taking tons of antibiotics thinking it was an infection, only to find out later it was just allergies. After getting checked out and getting the right meds this year, I haven't needed a single antibiotic for my throat, and my eyes have been totally fine—it might be worth getting checked out just to be safe.

Charles Walker3 said:I dealt with the exact same thing. Honestly, I still get it off and on sometimes. It was mostly this burning sensation in my eyes that seemed to hit right whenever my throat was acting up. I ended up taking tons of antibiotics thinking it was an infection, only to find out later it was just allergies. After getting checked out and getting the right meds this year, I haven't needed a single antibiotic for my throat, and my eyes have been totally fine—it might be worth getting checked out just to be safe.

That’s it. That is literally what I’m dealing with: a scratchy throat (the coughing fits at night are the worst) and red, watery, stinging eyes.

So, who am I supposed to ask for a referral if I want to go see an allergy specialist?

And how did you actually fix yours?

Also, what did they tell you was triggering the allergies?

Carol Campbell53 said:I'll step in here. It’s highly likely, so don't sweat it. Just crush that height.

Thanks for the reply. I actually already tried some Advil, but it didn't do squat.

Douglas King7 said:That’s it. That is literally what I’m dealing with: a scratchy throat (the coughing fits at night are the worst) and red, watery, stinging eyes.

So, who am I supposed to ask for a referral if I want to go see an allergy specialist?

And how did you actually fix yours?

Also, what did they tell you was triggering the allergies?

That cough and those tearing eyes? It's an allergic reaction, sure—along with plenty of other things—but it also points to too much "heat" in the body.
It’s often a sign you're dehydrated, so getting some water or maybe a lemonade in you would be a good move (lemonade helps kickstart the liver, though don't go overboard on the sugar)...
As for the eyes specifically, if they're staying red, it might just be your nervous system being totally wound up from stress and not getting enough sleep.
You might find some relief with something natural, like a warm bowl of chicken soup loaded with carrots and celery root.

Stay healthy and happy... 👋

Carl Campbell3 said:That cough and those tearing eyes? It's an allergic reaction, sure—along with plenty of other things—but it also points to too much "heat" in the body.
It’s often a sign you're dehydrated, so getting some water or maybe a lemonade in you would be a good move (lemonade helps kickstart the liver, though don't go overboard on the sugar)...
As for the eyes specifically, if they're staying red, it might just be your nervous system being totally wound up from stress and not getting enough sleep.
You might find some relief with something natural, like a warm bowl of chicken soup loaded with carrots and celery root.

Stay healthy and happy... 👋

Thanks for the input. Honestly, I’ve always been super diligent about staying hydrated; I’m talking bowls of soup, working out, eating clean... you name it. I drink a ton of water and tea, so I really don't think dehydration is the culprit here. Stress? Doubtful. If stress were my trigger, I would've developed allergies ages ago. This is brand new territory for me.
Actually, you want to know when this allergy suddenly decided to show up? Right after I started taking some herbal drops for a urinary tract infection. I picked them up at a local health food store, and the ingredients include bearberry tincture, cranberry, parsley, birch, plantain, plus fennel and peppermint oils. Do you think any of those specific ingredients could be triggering this?

Just go see a doctor... it's really that simple...🙂

Douglas King7 said:Thanks for the input. Honestly, I’ve always been super diligent about staying hydrated; I’m talking bowls of soup, working out, eating clean... you name it. I drink a ton of water and tea, so I really don't think dehydration is the culprit here. Stress? Doubtful. If stress were my trigger, I would've developed allergies ages ago. This is brand new territory for me.
Actually, you want to know when this allergy suddenly decided to show up? Right after I started taking some herbal drops for a urinary tract infection. I picked them up at a local health food store, and the ingredients include bearberry tincture, cranberry, parsley, birch, plantain, plus fennel and peppermint oils. Do you think any of those specific ingredients could be triggering this?

Since you were treating a bladder infection (which means lowered resistance since bacteria are involved), and considering the bladder is part of the nervous system (which, in my practice, also represents stress), there's clearly some kind of imbalance occurring in that area. Drinking massive amounts of water doesn't guarantee your body actually absorbs it. Think of your body like a wire mesh sieve... when you're under stress, that sieve tightens up, the wires press together, and it stops letting the water through properly. The fluid just passes right through you without any meaningful exchange of nutrients. Plus, overdoing the water can unnecessarily strain the whole system. You really need to find an optimal balance based on your activity level, environment, and conditions. As for what's causing this... it's definitely stress. Take a look at the section below.

Douglas King7 said:Thanks for the input. Honestly, I’ve always been super diligent about staying hydrated; I’m talking bowls of soup, working out, eating clean... you name it. I drink a ton of water and tea, so I really don't think dehydration is the culprit here. Stress? Doubtful. If stress were my trigger, I would've developed allergies ages ago. This is brand new territory for me.
Actually, you want to know when this allergy suddenly decided to show up? Right after I started taking some herbal drops for a urinary tract infection. I picked them up at a local health food store, and the ingredients include bearberry tincture, cranberry, parsley, birch, plantain, plus fennel and peppermint oils. Do you think any of those specific ingredients could be triggering this?

That could certainly trigger it, though in my view, it's actually a good sign. When you start heading toward recovery, the illness tends to move from the inside out and from the top down. In other words, that reaction suggests your liver is finally kicking into gear, which often manifests as a skin rash. The eyes reflect the liver (just think about jaundice), but they also represent the nervous system (redness might be that, though it could also be dryness)... and dryness can point to the kidneys (fluid deficiency) or even the spleen (overthinking—the nervous system). There is so much information we can read from the body... But beyond the eyes and the rash, there should be other symptoms present, though we'd really need to chat privately to go over those.

Stay well and happy 👋

Alright, just wanted to give you guys an update—I finally saw my doctor and we figured out what's going on.

Right now, there's this mild bronchial virus making the rounds (it's already starting to die down, but not quite gone), usually bringing along some coughing and a bit of conjunctivitis.

My eyes are feeling way better now, and the cough is pretty infrequent, mostly just hitting me at night. My doctor mentioned that it’s totally normal for the cough to linger for about two weeks even after the virus itself clears up.

Carl Campbell3, I didn't have any redness anywhere else besides my eyes—and honestly, it was mostly just in one eye, which is exactly what happened to my friend too. Weird, but true.

Can anyone here point me toward some reliable redness-relief eye drops?
Every single Saturday when I'm out in the city, my eyes end up looking absolutely bloodshot because of all the damn smog and exhaust hanging in the air!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Why don't you just head down to the local CVS and ask the pharmacist for some drops? 😂

I'm dead serious here.

gentleraven872 said:Why don't you just head down to the local CVS and ask the pharmacist for some drops? 😂

I'm dead serious here.

And regarding what you mentioned, well... I have been doing a bit of reading lately... I'm going to pick up some high-strength drops; Vlad should find them somewhat helpful!!! 😵 🙂