One red/bloodshot eye

I wear contact lenses and also work at a computer pretty much all day.

I noticed a red ring around my left iris a month ago so when I visited my dad in the UK 2 weeks ago I went into an optician to get a new updated eye test and ask about the redness and also get a contact lense check.

First of all after telling me yes yes yes to everything once I'd done the eye test they said they couldn't do the contact lenses check up as I couldn't go back to have it re checked... anyway that's a whole other story.

I currently live in France and the optician service is very different here, you have to see a doctor for eyes and the wait is long (min 6 weeks, 6 months isn't unheard of).

So I just wondered if there were ways in which I could at least narrow down what might be causing the redness... the optician in UK although he didn't say anything to me marked 'try thinner lenses' on my prescription card, I have no idea if he was referring to glasses or contact lenses though.

All in all the redness is in one eye, it was around my iris and yesterday the side of my eye was red (side nearer to ear).  I do get sensitivity to some light, not all, more so fluorescent lighting but it doesn't hurt as such I just notice my eyes going red sometimes.

If the redness doesn't hurt, my eye feels a bit dry and my prescription has worsened in that eye according to last eye test does anyone know what type of thing would cause the redness ?

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

Redness around the iris (ciliary flush) is usually a sign of some internal eye inflammation.  This can only be diagnosed with an eye exam.  An ophthalmologist needs to do a slit lamp exam and check for iritis (inflammation in the front of the eye).  A good rule of thumb is not to wear contact lenses in the setting of a red eye.