Red Eyes After Giving Birth – Causes And Treatment

4 min read

Written by Sindhuja Prabhu

Sindhuja Prabhu

M.Sc (Psychology),PGDBM

Sindhuja, a mother of two, is an obsessive mom with a keen interest in psychology, especially child psychology. Her quest for knowledge and way with words led her to become a passionate content writer. She transformed her love for writing into a full-fledged career which incidentally also turned up being the perfect stress buster for the last 5 years.

Red Eyes After Giving Birth

Giving birth to a tiny human is not an easy task. The mother goes through a lot of struggles all through the pregnancy and when she is finally tired and drained of all energy over nine long months, it is time to deliver the baby. Surprisingly, this news gives more energy than ever, to the mother. She is finally going to meet her baby! But the new mother may face some complications post giving birth. Red eyes after giving birth is one such complication.

After giving birth, the mother’s body undergoes a lot of changes very quickly. Apart from feeling tired or emotional, there are some physical changes too. Did your eyes turn red soon after giving birth to your little miracle? It is very natural to misinterpret the red eyes as a result of the strain of pushing and emotions, but is it normal or should it be a cause for concern? Read ahead to know more.

In This Article

What Causes Bloodshot Eyes After Giving Birth?
Are Red Eyes Normal After Giving Birth?
How Long Does it Take For Red Eyes After Birth to Go Back to Normal?
What Do Bloodshot Eyes Indicate?
When Should You Consider Seeing a Doctor?
FAQ’s

What Causes Bloodshot Eyes After Giving Birth?

When in labor, you put in a lot of effort to push out the baby. The sheer pressure of this act can cause tiny capillaries in your eyes to burst, resulting in bloodshot eyes soon after giving birth.

Are Red Eyes Normal After Giving Birth?

Yes, many women experience bloodshot eyes after giving birth. Not all women have bloodshot eyes after delivery as each body is different and reacts differently to various events, just like it did all these months during your pregnancy.

How Long Does it Take For Red Eyes After Birth to Go Back to Normal?

Tiny capillaries burst very regularly. They heal very quickly too. The reddishness under your skin when you scratch is also due to these capillaries bursting. Since it is your eyes, it may look a little scary, but don’t worry. It will clear up easily within a week or two.

What Do Bloodshot Eyes Indicate?

In most cases, bloodshot eyes after birth are an indication of the pressure applied by the mother to push the baby out. In the final stages of labor, you will have to hold your breath and use all the force possible to push out the baby. This pressure can cause blood to pool up in your face and behind your eyes. When the pressure increases, the capillaries can burst, resulting in redness in your eyes.

In rare cases, it could indicate an infection, some allergy, or just dry eyes. You may have developed allergies to certain products used in the delivery room, which could have irritated your eyes.

Pregnancy causes a lot of hormonal fluctuations. If your thyroid levels are not stable, it can cause dry eyes. Dry eyes can also look very red and feel itchy. You may want to keep touching your eyes or blink them several times.

[Read : Postpartum Thyroiditis]

When Should You Consider Seeing a Doctor?

When to see a doctor for bloodshot eyes post delivery

If you notice your eyes are unusually red, right after giving birth, you can check with your doctor as they come on their rounds. In case the red eyes develop a little later, you can check with your doctor on their next visit or when you go back for your follow-up consultation.

If you are not in the hospital or are already discharged, you should consult a doctor in the following cases:

Eyes are itchy and make you want to keep touching them.
You can feel disturbances in your vision.
The newborn is also having bloodshot eyes.
The redness is not clearing away within two weeks of delivery.
You experience any pain – either sudden or consistent.
You are finding it difficult to keep your eyes open for too long.

All the above scenarios indicate something more serious than a capillary burst due to the pressure during delivery.

It is quite natural to put your health on the back burner and pay full attention to your newborn. Remember, if you are carrying an infection, it can affect your child too. If your bloodshot eyes are something serious, you may have to undergo treatments later which might keep you away from your newborn longer.

During postpartum, it is essential to take care of your health too. You need to stay healthy to take good care of the baby. So, don’t delay consulting with a doctor if you are experiencing red eyes after giving birth

It can be very concerning to see red bloodshot eyes looking back at you in the mirror after you complete your pregnancy marathon. Since you are handling a small baby with no immunity, it is important to ensure you are not carrying any infections. Getting your eyes checked and receiving treatment is vital.

[Read : Traditional Indian Postpartum Care]

FAQ’s

1. Could Bloodshot Eyes Post-Delivery be Conjunctivitis?

Yes, it can. Your immunity is very low, and it is easy to catch an infection. Conjunctivitis can cause bloodshot eyes post-delivery.

2. Can I Pass Conjunctivitis to My Newborn?

Conjunctivitis is highly contagious. You can pass the infection to your newborn with very low immunity by sneezing, coughing, or touching the area around their eyes with contaminated fingers.

3. Will Bloodshot Eyes Postpartum go Away on its Own?

Yes, in most cases, it will. If it is just the pressure of pushing the baby out, the capillaries will heal in a few days. It should not take more than 2 weeks for it to go away on its own, without any medical treatment.