robert wrote:
my eyes get very bloodshot and about once a month the white part gets so red that people comment on it.
my question is, would the medication I am on (warfarin), cause this condition?

thank you….bob

ANSWER

Dear Bob

Warfarin aims to  reduce the blood’s ability to clot and could contribute to create spontaneous conjunctival haemorrhage like the ones you describe.  Mention the problem to your doctor when you have your next check-up and see what he has to offer… It is always risks vs benefits… If there is no other medication to treat your blood flow problems, you will have to live with the red eyes. However, your doctor, knowing the big picture of your health, can also prescribe another drug, with fewer side-effects, that will be as efftive as the warfarin is.

Good luck and thanks for asking this interesting question

Dr. Langis Michaud, OD, MSc, FAAO (Dipl)
Professeur Agrégé
Université de Montréal

Janie wrote:
Recently my eyes seem to be bloodshot and burning all the time. My blood pressure is normal and I stopped drinking alcohol months ago. I had my eyes checked about a year ago and the prescription hadn’t changed for my classes. Can you give me some idea of what could be wrong with my eyes and whom should I see about them, if anyone? Thanks, Janie

ANSWER

Dear Janie

Ocular redness comes from 2 sources: inflammation and/or infection. You should consult an optometrist when the eyes are red to determine the nature of that it affects your eyes. That could be a disease, an infection from a virus or a bacteria, that could be related to ocular dryness, that could be an allergic reaction. This could also be linked with the misuse of ocular medication or any other drops you may purchase over the counter (rebound effect). Before doing anything you should have a right diagnosis made before doing anything else.

Thanks for your interest.

Dr. Langis Michaud, OD, MSc, FAAO
Associate Professor
Université de Montréal, School of Optometry

Kevin wrote:
Hi.  Thank you for taking time to read this.  I have permanently blood shot eyes.  They are more visible under bright lighting and sensitive as well.  There are blood vessels in my eyes which have been there for the last 5-7 years.  I used to use Visine a lot after some research and common sense I’m confident that it’s due to that.  Is there any way to fix the “permanent” haemorrhaging in my eyes?  This has caused a lot of problems for me, any recommendation will help.  Thank you

ANSWER

Kevin,

I would ask you to have your eye doctor check your eyes so he/she can determine what is happening with the blood vessels on your eye.  It is possible that you may need some drops or some medications to take care of the problem, but without actually using a microscope to examine your eyes, it is difficult to advise what to do.  Some possible causes are high blood pressure, glaucoma, dry eyes, allergies, blood vessel diseases, rosacea and more.  So please ask your doctor.

Dr. Joan Hansen, Optometrist for CAO