Eye inflammation and infections
The most common cause of eye inflammation in adults is an allergy or contagious conjunctivitis. Symptoms include redness of the conjunctiva, swelling of the eyelids, watery eyes, sticky discharge from the eyes, and a feeling of having grit in the eye.
Self-care
An allergic eye inflammation can be alleviated with over-the-counter eye drops available at pharmacies. If you think your eye symptoms are caused by an allergy, you can use eye drops for the allergy in question, at least to begin with. Viral conditions in the upper respiratory tract (flu) may be associated with conjunctivitis. If the inflammation is mild (mainly slight redness of the eyes without sticky discharge), you can monitor the condition at home for 1 to 2 days. This type of eye inflammation does not require treatment.
When should you seek treatment?
If the inflammation involves heavy and sticky discharge from the eye, pain or ache, or visual impairment, contact a healthcare professional.
The following table contains general information about treating eye inflammation and infections and their symptoms.
| Symptom | What could be the cause? | What should be done? |
| Watery eyes, redness of the eyes and feeling of having grit in the eyes during the pollen season | Allergic conjunctivitis | Try over-the-counter eye drops for the allergy. If the symptoms persist and/or recur, contact a doctor for instructions and for prescriptions. |
| Redness of the eyes and distinct sticky discharge from the eyes | Bacterial eye infection | Contact a public health nurse or a doctor. |
| Redness and sticky discharge – foreign body or suspected foreign body in an eye | Inflammation caused by damage to the surface of the eye | Contact a public health nurse or a doctor. |
| Redness accompanied by pain | Possibility of a serious eye condition | Contact a public health nurse or a doctor. |
| A blow to the eye or an accident involving a sharp object | Internal eye damage | Contact a doctor. |
| Rash with blisters around the eye involving eye symptoms | Herpes infection of the eye | Contact a doctor. |
| Mild redness of the eyes during a flu | Conjunctivitis that will heal by itself | You can wait for it to heal for 1 to 2 days. |
| Clear, reddish swelling of an eyelid or edge of an eyelid | Hordeolum (stye) | Contact a public health nurse or a doctor. |
| Bleeding under the conjunctiva | Usually a harmless symptom and not associated with eye disorders or other conditions | Contact a doctor or a public health nurse if you have or are suspected to have high blood pressure and/or if you’re regularly using anticoagulants (blood thinners), or if the symptom presents in connection with another condition. |
Information sources:
The Finnish Medical Society Duodecim: Terveysportti, Lääkärin tietokanta database
FSHS General Practitioner / 20 July 2022
