Sore eyes could simply be tired eyes that need sleep, maybe a change of activity, or they could be 'dry eyes'. However tired eyes that also feel sore could be a sign of underlying disease.
- If you are using eye drops whether these are OTC eye drops, or Non-OTC eye drops your sore eyes could be a reaction to the preservative in the eye drops.
- If you use creams or lotions around your eye area, these might be good for your skin but could be the cause of your sore eyes.
- if using anti-histamine medications (whether OTC or prescribed) sore eyes could be an indication of a borderline 'dry eye'
The only way to know for sure is to book an eye examination.
Eyes that are;
- red and watery maybe be suffering from an allergy
- red and sticky maybe suffering from an infection
- red and tired, but not watery or sticky may be dry eyes
Only your Eye Care or Medical Practitioner can really differentiate the cause of your red eyes by using dyes and magnifying instruments to visulise how your anterior eye surface and tear film are looking.
An image showing an optometrist's view of:
– an unstable tear film which often causes blurred vision – think of your car windscreen when it is not raining hard enough for the wipers to clear the screen.
– and staining of the lower cornea – think of a graze on your skin. You might think this would feel sore but suprisingly some people are unaware of anything unusual.
this image shows corne