Eye Symptoms / Red Eye

Red Eye

A red or bloodshot eye is one of the most common reasons people come to see us — and one of the most reassuring to have looked at properly. Most causes are minor and settle on their own. A few are not. Our doctors examine the eye carefully so you know which one you are dealing with.

Book a consultation What causes red eye? →
Common symptoms

Signs of a red eye

Red eye is a description, not a diagnosis. The white of your eye looks pink or red because the tiny blood vessels just beneath its surface have widened or become inflamed — usually the eye reacting to irritation, dryness, infection or allergy. It can affect one eye or both, and arrive gradually or within a few hours

Bloodshot or pink appearance
Gritty or burning sensation
Watery eyes or discharge
Itching around the eyes
Sensitivity to bright light
Crusting on the lashes
Blurred or hazy vision
Feeling of something in the eye
Why it matters

The same red eye, very different reasons

A red eye can come from something as ordinary as a long day on screens or a dusty commute — or, less often, from something that needs same-day care. Common causes include dry eye, allergies, conjunctivitis (pink eye), blepharitis, contact-lens overwear and minor surface irritation. Occasionally redness points to raised pressure inside the eye, inflammation, or an injury. The appearance overlaps; the cause does not.

  • Surface causes — dryness, allergy, irritation, contact-lens overwear
  • Infection — bacterial or viral conjunctivitis, lid-margin disease
  • Causes inside the eye — pressure, inflammation or injury that need prompt review

A red eye is quick to check — and worth checking properly.

Our doctors would always rather examine a red eye that turns out to be minor than miss one that wasn’t. The check is short, and it tells you exactly where you stand.

Book a consultation How we work
Treatments

How we care for a red eye

A red eye can mean many different things
from a harmless burst blood vessel to an infection or a pressure emergency. We start with an examination to find the cause, then match the care to it, and act quickly on the few that are urgent.

Conjunctivitis care

Lubricants and hygiene for viral,
 a targeted antibiotic drop for bacterial.

Allergic eye relief

Antihistamine and mast-cell drops, cool compresses, and allergen avoidance.

Corneal assessment & care

Foreign-body removal, antibiotic cover and close follow-up to protect sight.

When no treatment is needed

Harmless bleeds and mild episcleritis clear on their own.

Dry eye & eyelid care

Lubricants, warm compresses and lid hygiene to calm the surface.

Sight-threatening red eye

Urgent pressure-lowering or dilating drops, same-day input, referral if needed.

“Such a lovely team and a very competent doctor. I had an acute problem and was given a same-day appointment and looked after wonderfully. Everything was perfect.”

Emily Tiedjen — Google Review (translated from German)

Meet your specialist

Care led by specialists you'll meet in person.

Dr. JD Ferwerda
Lead Ophthalmologist · Cataract and Retina Surgeon

Dr. JD Ferwerda, MD

Dr. JD Ferwerda, MD: Dutch-trained ophthalmologist specialising in cataracts, lens exchange, retinal disease, glaucoma, and AMD.

Book with Dr. JD See profile →
Dr. Artem Kozhechenkov
Refractive Surgeon

Dr. Artem Kozhechenkov, MD

Russian-trained refractive and general ophthalmologist, leads lasik/ laser vision correction at EEC

Book with Dr. Artem See profile →