What is red eye syndrome? How to treat this disease? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article. Red eye syndrome is a complex of symptoms that develops with inflammatory damage to the eyelids, cornea or conjunctiva, tear ducts. Consider this affliction below.
Short description
Clinically, red eye syndrome can be manifested by edema, hyperemia, pain, increased tearing, visual dysfunction. In order to establish the cause of the occurrence, doctors perform visometry, biomicroscopy, ultrasound, tonometry, perimetry, gonioscopy, ophthalmoscopy.
Conservative treatment includes the use of antibacterial drugs, antihistamines, NSAIDs, antiseptics, glucocorticosteroids and mydriatics.
What kind of ailment is this?
Red eye syndrome is a common pathology in practical ophthalmology. There are no exact statistical data on the epidemiology of the disease, whichcaused by a large number of background diseases that affect its development.
It was revealed that more than 75% of the population have symptoms of this deviation of pathological or physiological origin. This indicator in case of damage to the anterior region of the eyeball reaches 95-98%. The disease can develop at any age. Women and men are affected with the same frequency. The anomaly is ubiquitous.
Causes of occurrence
How does ophthalmology explain the occurrence of red eye syndrome? This pathology is considered as a complex of symptoms that characterizes the pathological process in the area of the anterior part of the eye.
Risk factors for the development of the disease are metabolic and autoimmune disorders, prolonged use of contact lenses, aggravated allergic history, arterial hypertension. The underlying causes of progression include:
- Influence of chemical substances. Injection of vessels of the conjunctival membrane - a frequent reaction to chemicals, decorative cosmetics, high chlorine content in water, eye care products.
- Inflammation of eyeball structures. The disease we are considering is a common manifestation of an abscess of the eyelid, dacryocystitis, blepharitis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, dacryoadenitis.
- Visual fatigue. Overstrain of the muscles of the eyes leads to a disorder of the blood supply and the appearance of hyperemia. This is a physiological phenomenon that goes away on its own.
- Entering the orbital cavityforeign body. Pathology appears when the conjunctiva is irritated by foreign bodies - smoke, dust or cosmetics.
- Infectious diseases of the eyes. Injection of the vessels of the conjunctiva is a characteristic sign of syphilis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia.
- Allergic reactions. The development of clinical signs provokes an allergy to flowering plants, pollen, pet hair.
- Dry eye syndrome. The development of the disease is due to a disorder in the process of tear formation, which underlies xerophthalmia.
- Blood ailments. Clinical symptoms may confirm the presence of von Willebrand disease, hemophilia, idiopathic thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) syndrome.
By the way, if you spend a lot of time at the computer, for example, playing the famous game GTA San Andreas: Beta, you are also provided with red eye syndrome.
Pathogenesis
The key importance in the mechanism of the appearance of the syndrome we are considering is assigned to an increase in the permeability of the walls of blood vessels. This results in the release of vasoactive substances into the bloodstream: bradykinin, thromboxane A2, histamine, interleukins 1, 2, 6, 8.
Less often, hyperemia occurs due to a defect in the development of blood vessels, manifested by thinning of the wall or transformation of the rheological qualities of the blood. As a result, the vascular network is clearly visible on the surface of the eyeball.
When the integrity of the capillary walls is damaged, bleeding occurs with the formation of large areas of hemorrhage.
Symptoms
The first manifestation of the disease is hyperemia of the conjunctival surface, which is later joined by small segments of hemorrhage located along the periphery of the limbus.
As a rule, the onset is very rapid, prodromal phenomena appear only in the infectious genesis of the disease. With a unilateral form, pupillary constriction may be detected on the side of the lesion.
Patients complain of the appearance of "floating opacities" or "flies" before the eyes. There is a feeling of "sand in the eyes", which develops due to the expansion of the vessels of the conjunctiva.
If a person has a red eye, what pain does he experience? The saturation of the pain syndrome ranges from a feeling of slight discomfort to obvious pain, which is accompanied by irradiation to the temporal zone, superciliary arches, and the inability to open the eyelids.
Patients report swelling, itching, increased lacrimation. A characteristic symptom of the disease is photophobia. With an acute course, yellow, whitish or green masses stand out strongly from the medial corner of the eye. Visual dysfunction is expressed in the appearance of a "veil" or "fog" before the eyes, a decrease in visual acuity.
A pronounced cosmetic anomaly appears. The recurrent course of the syndrome in children upsets the process of adaptation in society. With allergic genesis, the symptoms increase during the influence of allergens, spring-autumn seasonality is fixed.
Symptoms during development against the background of ailments
When the syndrome develops against the backgroundconjunctivitis of the eye, the transformation of the cornea is not visually detected, but it becomes too sensitive. With dacryocystitis, along with all the above signs, pathological masses with a cheese-like consistency are released from the lower lacrimal punctum when pressing on the lacrimal sac.
In patients, in addition to the general pathogenesis against the background of iridocyclitis, the color of the iris is transformed, the pupil is modified. In the projection segment of the ciliary body, pain is most pronounced.
When an illness appears on the background of blepharitis, the signs are represented by loss of eyelashes, redness of the eyelids, the presence of scales on the skin and between the eyelashes, ulcerative anomalies on the skin of the eyelids.
Complications
With the poor effectiveness of medical measures on the part of the cornea, complications such as clouding or dystrophic-degenerative transformations, bacterial keratitis may occur. The acute course of inflammatory processes of the lacrimal ducts, conjunctiva, cornea or eyelids is often replaced by a chronic one.
Often dacryocystitis is complicated by phlegmon of the lacrimal sac. With a long-term course of iridocyclitis, the pupillary opening can become overgrown, which will lead to a disorder in the circulation of fluid inside the eye and the development of secondary glaucoma.
Vision acuity is reduced due to spasm of accommodation, clouding of optical media. The rarest complications of pathology are the formation of connective tissue moorings, orbital cellulitis. The development of the process with the advent of pan- andendophthalmitis.
Diagnosis
In order to make a diagnosis, the doctor conducts a visual examination, uses a special set of ophthalmological tests. Hyperemia of the frontal surface of the eyes is detected with the naked eye. Basic methods for the differential diagnosis of red eye syndrome include:
- Visometry. Reduced visual acuity is established. If a spasm of the accommodative device is suspected, an additional test with mydriatics is recommended.
- Biomicroscopy of the eye. The technology provides the ability to visualize hemorrhage segments, expansion of the vasculature of the conjunctiva, clouding of the lens.
- Ultrasound of the eye. Ultrasound testing is used to visualize organic transformations (foreign body) that may lead to the development of an anomaly. The technology is also used to detect objective symptoms of complications (posterior and anterior synechia, lens opacity).
- Perimetry. Assistive technology to detect concentric narrowing of the field of view.
- Gonioscopy. A small amount of cloudy fluid in the front camera may be detected.
- Ophthalmoscopy. Inspection of the fundus of the eye is carried out in order to study the condition of the retina and optic nerve head to assess the reversibility of visual impairment.
- Tonometry. Pressure within the eye increases secondarily in patients with a history of damage to the uveal tract.
Healing
How is red eye syndrome treated? leading role in the healing of thispathology is occupied by etiotropic therapy, which is performed to eliminate the clinical manifestations of the underlying disease. Surgical interventions are effective for traumatic defects of the eyeball and dacryocystitis.
In early childhood, doctors recommend probing the lacrimal canal. Conservative therapy is based on the use of:
- Antibacterial drugs. Before taking a course of antibiotic therapy, the doctor must study the sensitivity of the pathogen to the drug used (antibiogram). Frequent instillations of drugs are recommended (at least 6-8 times a day). In severe cases, systemic antibiotic therapy is used.
- Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs (NSAIDs). Used to relieve signs of inflammation, reduce pain and swelling.
- Glucocorticosteroids. Instillations of hormonal drugs are prescribed when NSAIDs are ineffective. With an idiopathic variation of the disease, glucocorticosteroids are strictly prohibited.
- Midriatikov. It is used in individuals with iridocyclitis to normalize the dynamics inside the eye and dilate the pupil. The expediency of using this group of drugs for the prevention of pupillary fusion has been proven.
- Vitamin Therapy. Vitamins P, A and C are used in addition to basic healing.
- Antiseptic solutions. Antiseptic solutions are used to wash the conjunctival cavity in order to eliminate pathological masses.
- Antihistamines. Prescribed for the allergic nature of the disease in the form of drops. For systemic allergies, intramuscular injection or oral administration is indicated.
Have you read the book "Red Eye Syndrome"? Maychuk D. Yu. (Doctor of Medical Sciences) edited this very useful work, which clearly describes the most famous ailments that every ophthalmologist faces in his practice. The authors of this guide have made clear recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of lesions of the ocular surface. It is useful for everyone to study them.
Folk medicine
You can treat red eye syndrome with the help of such folk remedies:
- ice cubes;
- cool compresses with herbal infusions of oak bark or chamomile or pure water;
- raw potato slices;
- black tea lotion.
Remember that folk remedies can be used only when there are no signs of a dangerous ophthalmic pathology. With their help, you can eliminate eyelid redness and swelling, relieve eye strain easily and quickly, and normalize blood circulation through the eye capillaries.
You can also do eye exercises:
- If you often have to stare at the monitor for a long time, then every hour you need to “outline” the contours of various objects placed on the wall or table with your eyes.
- The eye muscle needs rest during hard work. To do this, you need to go to the window, look into the distance, and througha couple of seconds to look at any nearby point. This exercise promotes the production of tear fluid, which will moisturize your eyes and keep them from being red and dry.
Prevention and prognosis
The prognosis for working capacity and life is favorable. Special preventive measures have not been created. Standard prevention comes down to observing the canons of eye hygiene, preventing contact of toxic substances and dust with the conjunctiva.
Sick with a burdened ophthalmological history, it is necessary to be examined by an ophthalmologist a couple of times a year with a mandatory eye microbiopsy. For those who work in production, doctors recommend using personal protective equipment (masks, goggles). For prevention, instillations of moisturizing drugs, synthetic tear preparations are prescribed.
Syndrome in dogs and cats
Does red eye syndrome occur in dogs? Yes, sometimes. Veterinary ophthalmologists often face this phenomenon in their practice. Also, red eye syndrome can be found in cats. This disease in animals occurs for many reasons - due to erosion, keratitis, conjunctivitis, anterior uveitis, glaucoma, injuries of various origins, corneal ulcers and others. The eyeball may turn red due to infectious diseases and somatic diseases.
In many cases of the syndrome we are considering, the animal is in danger: it can either go blind in one eye or lose it altogether.
With lacrimation, an increase in the eyeball,redness of the eye, red eyelids, various discharges from the conjunctival zone, squinting of the eye, if the animal scratches the eyes with a paw or rubs them against objects, you need to urgently contact an ophthalmologist veterinarian.
Pet First Aid
If you can't go to the vet right away, flush your pet's eye with some kind of ophthalmic solution. It could be Vitabact or Diamond Eyes or Okomistin.
Do not use ointments that contain corticosteroids. This will prevent the doctor from revealing the real clinical picture. Corneal protectors may be used. An animal can be successfully cured if treatment is started as early as possible.
