Chronic red eyes

Introduction

In order to diagnose any medical condition, the doctor needsto be well informed about the history. The investigation can be narrowed downby being familiar with the age of the patient.

Causes

There are a large number of different factors which may beheld responsible for the occurrence of chronic red eyes. In infants, chronicred eyes can be triggered by herpes simplex, gonoccus or Chlamydia. The mostcommon causes of chronic red eyes in children are viruses, bacterial infectionsand several other medical conditions. Adults may experience chronic red eyesdue to sexually transmitted disrases, vernal keratoconjunctivitis andkeratoconjunctivitis sicca. The most common cause of chronic red eyes in olderpatients is blepharitis.

Symptoms

If a person experiences itching, he or she usually suffersfrom allergic conjunctivitis. Painful sensations are commonly associated withviral infections, foreign bodies, perforation or corneal ulcer. If a personsuffers from intraocular inflammatory conditions, he or she will usuallyexperience photophobia. Clear dischargefrom the eye usually indicates a viral or allergic process. If there is apresence of purulent discharge, a person usually has polymorphonucleocytes inthe tear film. This indicates the presence of Chlamydia or some sort ofbacterial infection. Some patients may also experience a blurry vision, but inmost cases it is only an indication of inconsistent tear film. Allergicconjunctivitis usually affects both eyes, but there are also certain medicalconditions which may be unilateral. Those include bacterial conjunctivitis andinfectious disorders.

Environment

There are numerous environmental factors which can beresponsible for the occurrence of chronic itchy eyes. Exposure to constant lowhumidity may be one of those factors, and stewardesses and pilots areconstantly surrounded by such environments. Other common factors which can beheld responsible for the occurrence of chronic red eyes, include wind,allergens and smoke. Numerous pets can also be held responsible for theoccurrence of chronic red eyes. Exposure to UV rays may also be one of thepossible causes of chronic red eyes. The use of contact lens may also triggerthe occurrence of chronic red eyes in some patients. Various systemic diseasessuch as allergies, sexually transmitted diseases, viral infections, lesions,connective tissue diseases and others can cause chronic red eyes. Medicamentsand the use of makeup may also be held responsible for the development ofchronic red eyes in some cases. Sometimes just the timing of the symptoms may be of great help.