Redness-Relief Eye Drops Can Backfire

They clear the red now and can bring it back worse later.

The "gets the red out" drops work fast. That speed hides a catch.

How they clear the red

Redness-relief drops shrink the blood vessels on the surface of your eye, so the white looks whiter. But nothing about the underlying cause — dryness, strain, allergy — actually changed.

Rebound redness

Use them regularly and the vessels can dilate again as the drops wear off, sometimes worse than before. You reach for more, and a loop forms. It's the eye version of a decongestant nasal-spray habit.

The move

For everyday dryness or strain, plain lubricating (artificial tear) drops treat the cause without the rebound. Save the whitening drops for the occasional photo day, not daily use — and if eyes are often red, get the reason checked.

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