Many people, upon noticing red eyes, immediately think: "Do I have pink eye?"

In fact, red eyes are not necessarily pink eye. Eye redness is merely a symptom that appears when the eye is irritated or diseased. Different causes may require completely different management. Blindly treating it as "pink eye" may actually delay proper treatment.

Why Do Eyes Turn Red?

The white of the eye contains fine blood vessels that are normally invisible. When irritated, these vessels dilate and become congested, making the eye look red. Medically, this is called conjunctival hyperemia.

There are many causes of eye redness: eye strain or fatigue, dry eye syndrome, ocular allergies, external irritants, keratitis, glaucoma, conjunctivitis, and other eye diseases can all trigger conjunctival hyperemia.

What Is True "Pink Eye"?

What people commonly call "pink eye" usually refers to acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis caused by enteroviruses. It is highly contagious and can cause cluster outbreaks and epidemics in populations.

"Enterovirus" is a classification of viruses based on their characteristics, not a virus that only infects the intestines. Some enteroviruses spread through contact—for example, when eye secretions from an infected person or contaminated towels contact the eyes, the virus can enter the conjunctiva and cause acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis.

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis caused by enteroviruses typically has a rapid onset. Common manifestations include:

Conjunctival blood vessels dilate and become congested or even rupture, causing obvious redness in the white of the eye; petechial or patchy hemorrhages may appear when vessels rupture;

Foreign body sensation, stinging, or burning in the eye;

Increased tearing;

Eyelid swelling;

Photophobia (light sensitivity), eye discomfort, etc.

Don't Rush to Use Eye Drops When Your Eyes Are Red

Many people buy so-called "anti-inflammatory eye drops" on their own after noticing red eyes. But different causes require different treatments. Redness caused by eye strain or dry eye does not require anti-inflammatory eye drops—they are ineffective and can harm the eyes. For redness caused by viral infection, antibacterial eye drops are ineffective. If steroid-containing eye drops are abused, they can easily mask the condition and induce elevated intraocular pressure. Therefore, eye drops are not a "cure-all" for all red eye problems. When persistent discomfort or obvious symptoms occur, it is advisable to see a doctor to identify the cause and then treat accordingly.

Do These Things to Reduce Eye Problems

In daily life, you can protect your eyes in the following ways:

Wash hands frequently and avoid rubbing eyes with dirty hands. If someone in the household is infected, wash hands immediately after contact with their items, and disinfect surfaces such as tabletops and door handles that they have touched;

Do not share towels, washbasins, eye drops, or other personal items with others;

Wear contact lenses correctly, limiting daytime wear to within 8 hours. Never wear contact lenses overnight or during naps;

Arrange electronic device usage reasonably and avoid prolonged close-up eye use;

Ensure adequate sleep to reduce eye fatigue;

Do not forcefully squeeze or press the eyeballs.

When your eyes are red, don't be overly nervous. First do home care such as cleaning, cold/warm compresses, and reducing eye use, and observe. Do not self-medicate. If you experience obvious eye pain, vision loss, severe photophobia, or large amounts of discharge, please promptly visit an ophthalmology department to identify the cause and receive standardized treatment.

（Source: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention）

Editor: Lin Tao   Responsible Editor: Liu Liang