Eye Inflammation: What It Looks Like and What You Can Do

Red, gritty, or painful eyes can ruin your day fast. Eye inflammation is how your eye shows it’s upset — from a mild irritation to something that needs urgent care. This page helps you recognize the common types, try safe first-aid steps, and know when to call a doctor or pharmacist.

Common Causes You’ll Run Into

Not all red eyes mean the same thing. Viral conjunctivitis (pink eye) often starts in one eye, then spreads to the other; it brings watery discharge and a scratchy feeling. Bacterial conjunctivitis gives thicker yellow or green discharge and may need antibiotics. Allergies cause itchy, watery, both-eyes redness and usually come with sneezing or a runny nose. Dry eye and blepharitis (inflamed eyelids) make your eyes feel sandy or heavy, especially after screen time. Less common but serious causes include uveitis (deep eye inflammation), corneal abrasion, and chemical exposure.

Each cause has small clues: itch points toward allergies, sticky crust in the morning hints at bacteria, sudden intense pain or vision loss is a red flag. If you wear contacts, remove them at the first sign of irritation and treat contact-related issues as higher risk.

What to Do Right Now

If your eye is only slightly red and feels tired, try a few simple fixes. Rinse with clean water or sterile saline if something got in your eye. Use a warm compress for crusty lids or a cool compress for itchy, allergic redness. Over-the-counter artificial tears can soothe dryness and wash out irritants; avoid drops that claim to “get the red out” for repeated use — they mask redness without fixing the problem.

Stop using contact lenses until the eye is healed and you’ve checked with a provider. Don’t share towels, pillows, or eye makeup when symptoms are present. If you suspect allergies, an oral antihistamine or preservative-free eye drops can help; for bacterial infections, your pharmacist can advise whether you need prescription eye drops or to see a doctor.

Know the urgent signs: sudden vision changes, intense pain, severe light sensitivity, a chemical splash, or an eye that’s bulging or bleeding — get emergency care immediately. If symptoms worsen rapidly or a simple home remedy doesn’t help within 24–48 hours, see an eye doctor.

Prevention is easy and effective: wash your hands often, replace eye makeup every few months, clean and replace contact lenses per instructions, wear protective eyewear for hazards, and take regular breaks from screens to reduce dry-eye symptoms. If you’re on medications that dry out eyes, mention it to your pharmacist so you can plan extra lubrication.

If you want help picking the right eye drops, or you’re not sure if an infection needs antibiotics, ask your local pharmacist or book an eye exam. Quick action stops small problems from becoming big ones, and most cases clear up with the right care and common sense.