A hangover is an unpleasant state, especially if you have to go to work in the morning. There are many ways to put yourself in order: aspirin relieves headaches well, mineral water and a warm shower will cope with dehydration, and pharmacy and folk remedies will remove the smell. However, red eyes from a hangover can negate all efforts to hide the consequences of a wild party.
Causes of redness
The outer side of the human eye is covered with a white fibrous tissue called the sclera. The functions of the shell are quite extensive: it protects the deep layers of the visual apparatus from the harmful effects of the environment and acts as a kind of framework for the eye muscles and capillaries. Alcohol causes an immediate expansion of blood vessels, they are filled with blood and become clearly visible.
Reasonable doses of alcohol usually do not cause such effects. The situation is different in cases where a person begins to regularly abuse strong drinks. Ethanol is poorly excreted by the excretory system, and the liver is responsible for its breakdown. With abundant libations, the body is not able to cope quickly, so the toxin acetaldehyde accumulates in the body.
The breakdown products of alcohol poison tissues and have a destructive effect on the cardiovascular system:
- release catecholamines, which causes tachycardia and oxygen starvation of tissues;
- slow down redox reactions;
- inhibit the work of the myocardium;
- contribute to the formation of blood clots.
Red eyes after a hangover indicate that the blood flow in the capillaries is impaired. The process goes on throughout the body, but is clearly visible in the eyeball due to the white color of the sclera. Regular load on the vessels leads to premature wear and destruction of their walls. The consequences can be hemorrhages in the membrane of the eye, which require urgent medical attention and targeted treatment.
Alcohol abuse can lead to serious illnesses:
- retinal angiopathy – causes problems with the supply of oxygen to the visual apparatus;
- angiosclerosis – narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels;
- retinopathy is a violation of the blood supply to the retina.
The consequence of these pathologies is a serious deterioration in the quality of vision. The risk increases with age, after 50 years red eyes can be a sign of hypertension and increased eye pressure, and these symptoms cannot be ignored. Destruction of blood vessels near the optic nerve leads to complete blindness, so if you have problems, you should completely stop drinking alcohol and consult an ophthalmologist.
How to relieve eye redness
There are many drops with a vasoconstrictive effect, but you should not use them with a hangover because of side effects. Slight redness is well removed by proven folk remedies, including:
- Green and black tea. Brew the bags in boiling water and cool in the refrigerator. Then place on the eyes and hold for 15-20 minutes.
- Ice cubes. Wrap ice in gauze and apply to eyes for 10 minutes. The cold will help narrow the blood vessels and the sclera will return to normal.
- Cold items. Place two scoops in the freezer until chilled and apply to your eyes.
- Gadgets. Make an infusion at the rate of 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dill seeds in a glass of boiling water, brew for 20 minutes. Then soak cotton pads in the liquid and apply to the eyes.
Avoid drinking too hot drinks, as they promote vasodilation. Take a cool or contrast shower, take a walk in the fresh air – this will help to quickly remove the decay products of alcohol from the body.
Do not rub your eyes, even if they itch, because this way it is easy to infect. If the vascular network on the sclera does not go away within a few days, contact your doctor.
Attention! Self-medication can be dangerous, consult your doctor.