Redness in eyes

I had lasik back in 02 & never had a problem--had white eyes & never dry.  Just used OTC generic artificial tears here & there.  Then in 5/08, I develop. red eyes & had a prominent vessel in my left eye.  Eye dr. said it was strain from studying for my MBA and should go away on its own.  He took eye tests and put me on restasis.  The redness went away but the prominent vessel stayed.  It's still there to this day & the eye dr. now says it will be there forever since it's there so long.  About 2 mo. ago, my eyes started getting red on the whites and my mom said that my lower eye lid (where women put eyeliner--i don't use eye makeup) also looked red--didn't hurt or itch just red.  In the a.m., my eyes would be a little red but clear up once I put the restasis in.  As the day went on, they'd get more red. Usu. when I put an artif. tear in it would clear up a bit.  Since my eyes didn't hurt or itch, I didn't notice the red til I was told.  My dr. told me by phone to flush them with artif. tears--I went from 3x/day to 8x (used non-preserv free drops--refresh liquigel, systane and optive).  The redness cont...fine in a.m. to red in eve.--more so in the left.  After a 1 mo. of this, I saw my eye dr. for my yearly.  I told him I work on the comp. all day and have for yrs and no itchiness.  He said it was allergies & gave me Pataday.  It stung so I discont. & called & he put me on Elestat.  After 2-1/2 wks, the redness cont.,+ still using artif tears 6x a day+ felt dry on the inner white of my eyes where red.  Went back & he put me on Alrex 3x for 3 dy, then 1x for 2 weeks + cont. elestat + restasis.  I started doing research & now think it may be dry eye not allergy.  Elestat says it relieves itchy eyes but mine aren't itchy just red. I started reading about overuse of non preserv drops & the dangers of Bak preserv which is in Elestat.  My ? is should I discont. the Elestat since I don't have itchiness--is it supposed to help w/redness or just itchy which I don't have?

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear stacy0727,

There are many possible causes of your symptoms and redness to the eyes.  I would recommend that you seek the care of an eyeMD to determine the cause.  The redness of the eyelid where eyeliner may be indicative of an eyelid infection which could also cause redness.  

Dr. Feldman

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California

[stacy0727]

Also, should I switch to preserv free drops.  I'm currently using genteal lube for severe dry eye relief--I picked it up 2 days ago.  It's preservative free in the eye or should I go for complete preserv free?  Will this get rid of the redness.  I really want my white eyes back--well except for the prominent vessel that I am told I'm stuck with.