Eye Health More Eye Issues & Safety How to Treat and Get Rid of Red Eyes Over-the-Counter and Natural Solutions By Troy Bedinghaus, OD Updated on July 02, 2023 Medically reviewed by Johnstone M. Kim, MD Print Red eyes are a common problem. How you get rid of red eyes depends, in part, on the cause. At-home and over-the-counter treatments include: Cold compressesArtificial tearsMedicated eye dropsAvoiding triggers This article explores different treatments for red eyes and details how to get rid of red eyes. It also explains when to see your healthcare provider for red-eye treatment. Causes of Red Eyes That "bloodshot" appearance of red eyes occurs when blood vessels in the white part of the eye—the conjunctiva—are irritated and become enlarged. This can happen for many reasons. In some cases, it's a sign of a medical condition such as pink eye (conjunctivitis), uveitis, corneal ulcer, or acute angle-closure glaucoma, especially if accompanied by certain symptoms. See your healthcare provider for prompt referral to an ophthalmologist if you have a red eye following an injury, or have: Severe painVision changesLight sensitivityPusCold-like symptomsNauseaBlood in the iris (the colored part of the eye) Most often, however, the cause of red eyes is benign (harmless). You can resolve or prevent red eyes by avoiding triggers such as lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, smoking, swimming in a chlorinated pool, or, ironically, overusing eye drops to treat the redness. Lack of sleep can cause bloodshot eyes because your eyes heal themselves as you sleep. If you do not get enough sleep, your eyes may produce less lubricating tears, causing your eyes to be dry, itchy, and red. When red eyes do occur, there are over-the-counter (OTC) products and home remedies you can try to get the red out and prevent it from coming back. 8 Reasons Your Contacts Are Giving You Red Eyes Illustration by Brianna Gilmartin, Verywell 1 Cold Compresses Cold compresses work to treat red eyes by constricting blood vessels in the eyes. Not only will this help to erase redness, but it'll also reduce fluid retention around the eyes. How to Use Fill a bowl with ice and water.Submerge a clean washcloth in the water to soak it up.Remove it and wring out the excess.Apply to closed eyes for between five and 10 minutes.Repeat a few times per day. Small bags of frozen peas or corn make effective compresses for red eyes as well, as they conform to the eye area and tend to stay colder longer than a cloth. 2 Artificial Tears Artificial tears, clinically known as demulcent drops, are over-the-counter eye drops formulated to restore moisture to dry, inflamed eyes. Artificial tears are a common red eye treatment and should be applied fairly often; most people tend to under-use them. Causes of dry eye include: Environmental conditions (wind, smoke, dry climate)Age (being over 50)Screen useMedications (antihistamines, decongestants, blood pressure medications, antidepressants)Medical conditions (diabetes, thyroid disease, Sjogren's syndrome) How to Use To get rid of red eyes, try using artificial tears: Insert every hour for the first six hours.Use six times per day for the rest of the week. Some people store a bottle of eye drops in the refrigerator, as the chilled fluid may be soothing to the eyes. 3 Vasoconstrictors Vasoconstrictors (decongestants) work by shrinking the small blood vessels in the conjunctiva. Examples of vasoconstricting eye drops include: Visine Original (tetrahydrozoline) Clear Eyes (naphazoline) Neofrin (phenylephrine) Vasoconstricting eye drops are not popular with eye doctors for treating red eye because, when used for too long, they wear off quickly and prompt too-frequent use. This can cause "rebound redness"—when the drops wear off, blood vessels dilate even larger than they were before, making eyes appear bloodshot. How to Use Apply eye drops to treat red eyes no more than twice daily. Use them once in the morning and once before bedtime. Vasoconstrictors reduce redness and may be used safely for up to 72 hours. More frequent use of this type of eye drop is not good for your eyes. If you find yourself needing them every morning, consult your healthcare provider. Precautions Do not use vasodilator eye drops without consulting your healthcare provider first if you're pregnant or have: A heart condition High blood pressure Diabetes Hyperthyroidism People who have narrow-angle glaucoma should not use vasodilator eye drops. 4 Antihistamine Eye Drops Antihistamine eye drops contain medications designed to treat symptoms of eye allergy (allergic conjunctivitis)—chief among them itching, but also redness, soreness, stinging, and/or swelling. Symptoms are triggered by the immune system's response to an allergen. Once available only by prescription, antihistamine eye drops can now be purchased over the counter. Brands include Opcon-A and Naphcon-A; both contain an antihistamine to control itching and a vasoconstrictor to shrink swollen blood vessels to reduce redness. How to Use Antihistamines are short-acting, so they must be used: Use them at least four times per day.Alternatively, follow a healthcare provider's direction.Don't use them for more than two to three consecutive days, as this can increase irritation and other symptoms. If you wear contact lenses, wait 10 minutes after using antihistamine eye drops before inserting them. Precautions If your eye allergy symptoms don't improve or worsen, see your eye doctor. Ask your healthcare provider before using an antihistamine/vasoconstrictor eye drop (such as Opcon-A) if you have: Heart diseaseHigh blood pressureEnlarged prostateNarrow angle glaucoma Prognosis In most cases, red eyes should clear up within a few hours or days. Red eyes from a rough night of poor sleep or too much alcohol can last a few hours. Red eyes from allergies will last for an hour or so after taking an antihistamine and may come and go throughout allergy season. Red eyes from pink eye will typically clear up within a week if caused by a viral infection or 24 to 48 hours after you start treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis. Red eyes from a subconjunctival hemorrhage can take a few weeks to clear up. 13 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Dunlop AL, Wells JR. Approach to red eye for primary care practitioners. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2015 Sep 1;42(3):267-84. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2015.05.002 American Academy of Sleep Medicine. How lack of sleep affects your eyesight. Rausch K. Home remedies for bloodshot eyes–and when to see a doctor. American Academy of Opthalmology. National Eye Institute. Causes of dry eye. Turbert D. Eye allergy diagnosis and treatment. American Academy of Opthalmology. Bitton E, Crncich V, Brunet N. Does the temperature of an artificial tear affect its comfort?. Clin Exp Optom. 2018;101(5):641-647. doi:10.1111/cxo.12664 Abelson MB, Smith LM. Vasoconstrictors: Myths and realities. Review of Opthalmology. Boyd K. Redness-relieving eye drops. American Academy of Opthalmaology. DailyMed. Naphazoline—naphazoline hydrochloride solution/ drops. MedlinePlus. Epinastine ophthalmic. DailyMed. Opcon-A—naphazoline hydrochloride and pheniramine maleate solution/ drops. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conjunctivitis (pink eye): Treatment. American Optometric Association. Subconjunctival hemorrhage. By Troy Bedinghaus, OD Troy L. Bedinghaus, OD, board-certified optometric physician, owns Lakewood Family Eye Care in Florida. He is an active member of the American Optometric Association. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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