red eyes

Hi.  My brother has really really red eyes every summer in the whites of his eyes.  He was prescribed steroids and they're the only thing that works to clear them up.  Can steroids make his condition worse?  Also what else can it be other than allergies?  What else can he try?
Thanks!

[Sandra M Brown, MD]

Steroids have long term complications such as cataracts and glaucoma.  Patients who have severe summertime eye 'allergies' but are fine the rest of the year may have vernal conjunctivitis.  This is more common in boys and is triggered partly by heat.  Vernal conjunctivitis often needs steroids to get it under control but there are other ways to maintain summertime comfort without staying on steroids for 4 months every year.  Your brother should see an Eye MD and if he is under 18 yo he could probably get a pediatric ophthalmologist to see him - vernal conjunctivitis starts in childhood, thus we have a lot of experience with it.

[supergirl1107]

thank you so much! your answer helped a lot! :) if he continues to use steroids will his condition ever go away if it is vernal conjunctivitis? is it something he will grow out of?