Heart disease, the leading cause of deaths in the United States for both men and women, accounts for more than one in four deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cardiovascular exercise makes your heart work harder and gets your blood pumping. This increase in blood flow can sometimes cause redness in your eyes.
Cardio Not to Blame
Although you may experience red eyes after a cardio workout, the exercise itself is not to blame, according to Dr. Louise Cooley Davis, a Beverly Hills ophthalmologist. Your eyes might get irritated by sweat or makeup that gets into your eyes, or by other factors that may occur while working out. Weightlifters, however, may have eye problems, particularly if they hold their breath during lifts. The process of lifting puts pressure on your eyes. Aerobic activity generally relieves eye pressure.
Red Eye Causes
If you exercise outdoors, you expose yourself to wind, pollutants, foreign objects and allergens that could make your eyes tired and red. Other causes of red eye include dryness, lack of sleep and broken blood vessels, which could make all or part of your eye bright red. Red eye, whether occurring during cardio exercise or other activities, rarely proves serious. Consult a physician, however, if eye redness is accompanied by vision loss, nausea, severe headache, sensitivity to bright light or mucous discharge. Also seek medical attention if you feel as though something is in your eye or have difficulty opening your eye or keeping it open.
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Contact Lenses
If you wear contact lenses, this could be the cause of your eye redness and tiredness after a cardio workout. The increased movement of your body can make your contact lenses move around. Your eyes get irritated from the friction. If you wear contact lenses, try removing them prior to a cardio workout, and see if this alleviates your eye redness.
White Tissue Inflammation
If you suffer from a medical condition called episcleritis, cardio exercise could exacerbate the problem and cause redness in your eyes. Episcleritis involves an inflammation of the white tissue in the eye.This is generally a fairly mild condition, and the exact causes are unknown. However, some people do find that their condition gets worse after exercise. This is thought to be because increased blood pressure makes the inflammation in the eye more obvious.
Considerations
Most cases of red eye require no treatment. If your eyes feel tired, resting them may help. Over-the-counter eye drops may also provide relief. The severity of redness in your eyes does not reflect the seriousness of the condition. You should be concerned, however, if the redness and fatigue are accompanied by other symptoms. Contact a physician if you experience pain or vision loss, or have any doubts about the seriousness of your eye problem.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Disease Facts
- Dr. Louise Cooley Davis; opthalmologist; Beverly Hills, California; Feb. 6, 2010
- PubMed Health: Episcleritis
- MayoClinic.com: Red Eye Causes
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Eye Redness Treatment
