Bloodshot eyes and eye achiness occur with a variety of eye problems. A person may try to ease the symptoms on her own, but, in most cases, she should contact an eye doctor for an accurate diagnosis. This will help her find the proper treatment for her eye condition. Knowing some common conditions and additional symptoms that accompany eye redness and pain may help when discussing symptoms with the doctor.
Conjunctivitis
An eye infection called conjunctivitis, known to most people as "pink eye," typically causes bloodshot eyes that turn the whites of the eye a bright red or pink. The infection causes the eye to feel painful and have light sensitivity, says the American Optometric Association. Light sensitivity can cause a deep initial ache when subjected to a bright room or overall lighting. Other symptoms may include eyelid swelling, watery eyes and a thick discharge from the eyes.
If symptoms are caused by bacteria, the eye doctor may prescribe an antibiotic eye drop to help clear the infection. Conjunctivitis from a virus, such as the common cold, does not have a treatment to resolve the infection, so the doctor may recommend allowing the virus to run its course. If a patient has severe symptoms, the doctor may prescribe steroid eye drops or other medication to reduce irritation from the symptoms.
Iritis
Some people with bloodshot eyes and achiness may have inflammation of the iris, the colored inner muscle of the eye. This condition, called iritis, may result from an eye injury, eye conditions or, more commonly, no known cause, says MayoClinic.com. Additional symptoms typically include vision changes, black spots in vision and light sensitivity.
Doctors treat iritis with eye drops such as steroid eye drops that help reduce the inflammation in the iris. The doctor may also recommend using drops to dilate the eyes until the inflammation resolves. Dilation often relieves some or all of the pain from iritis.
Corneal Abrasion
The cornea, made up of sensitive tissue, covers the outer window of the eye. A small scratch or injury to the eye, called a corneal abrasion, may cause redness and pain to the affected eye. Many people with a corneal abrasion will have excessive tearing and feel as though something is in the eye. For many people, the irritation and redness will ease within a day or two. However, some abrasions may take longer to heal or require eye drops or ointments to aid in healing, says the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Some patients may require a patch over the eye to keep the eyelid closed to promote healing.
