Itchy eyes, dry eyes, red eyes: these aren’t just names that you give to your peepers when they’re not feeling well. Because they’re so descriptive, it’s easy to get them confused, and that confusion can cause people to ignore symptoms until they reach a breaking point. We’ll look at the differences between the two and how you can use this information if you’re nervous about how your eyes are responding to different stimuli.

Dry Eyes

Dry eyes in Riverdale, NJ aren’t just defined by a lack of tears, they’re defined by the quality of tears too. So maybe your body isn’t producing tears at all, or maybe the tears that are being produced don’t have the oil they need to properly coat and hydrate the eye. If you have dry eyes, you’ll likely catch yourself rubbing them quite a lot or trying to blink through the blur.

Red Eyes

While red eyes may look more troublesome than dry eyes, thanks to the inflamed and enlarged blood vessels that are causing the color, they’re actually less of a problem than you might think. Red eyes are often caused by foreign substances, like allergens, which means that they clear up faster than a more chronic problem like dry eyes. Most of the time, you won’t need to consult a doctor if you have red eye, as long as it’s not accompanied by any other symptoms. If you have red eyes plus a headache, for instance, that could be cause for concern.

Find an Eye Doctor in Riverdale

An eye doctor in Riverdale, NJ won’t just diagnose the issue, they can tell you more about how to treat it. Unexplained red eyes may indicate that you’ve developed a new allergy to pollen in the air, while dry eyes may indicate a problem with the meibomian gland at the edge of your eyelid. You may need to take prescription eye drops or use dry eye masks as a way to open up clogged oil ducts. Whatever it happens to be, Riverdale Vision Care can help you determine what to do next. Schedule an appointment with us if you want to pinpoint the cause of the issue, so you can take action.