What are the causes of redness and pain in the eyes?

Q: I am experiencing redness in the conjunctiva area of the eyes?. I also have pain below the left eye-brow. I am not able to open my eyes in any kind of light due to this. Even the light of the cell phone hurts my eyes and I get a shooting pain. I experience some relief after putting Ofloxacin eye drops. I am a diabetic and my blood sugar levels are 375 (PP). What is the reason for the eye problem?

A:Red eyes are caused when the blood vessels on the surface of the white portion of the eye (sclera) become enlarged, dilated and irritated. A large number of conditions can give rise to this, with some being even medical emergencies. The presence of pain or impaired vision warrants immediate medical attention. Common causes include: exposure to extremely dry air, sun or dust; foreign body; an allergic reaction; infection; injury etc. In the absence of itching or discharge it is unlikely to be an infection. Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light and this again can be due to a number of causes. It may be reduced by avoiding sunlight, closing the eyes, wearing dark glasses, or darkening the room. It is best if you consult an ophthalmologist who can examine the eye and advise appropriately after determining the cause for redness, pain and photophobia.