Can I use eye “whiteners” (like Visine or Lumify) when my eyes get red?

As a dry eye specialist, I frequently get questions like this. The simplest answer is “rarely!” Redness is a sign of inflammation (from any of many causes). Inflammation is the body’s response to irritation and will dilate blood vessels so they can deliver larger quantities of the body’s natural defenses to the site of irritation (in this case, the eyes). Anything that make eyes look “whiter” (like regular Visine or the newer drop, Lumify) by causing the big, red blood vessels to constrict (“shrinking them”), will risk “rebound redness” when the little muscles in those blood vessels eventually need to “relax.” Most can get away with this if they’re only using it “once in a blue moon.” Doing this over and over, leads to “addiction,” where skipping the drop makes eyes red, swollen and miserable. The bigger problem is that the more you use the drop, the faster it wears off, requiring more frequent applications and giving less relief. (Think of the rebound issues for those who regularly use nasal decongestants like Afrin). Add to that - the fact that these drops contain preservatives (like BAK) that prevent green, fuzzy stuff from growing in the bottle. Preservatives are toxic chemicals able to kill germs, but also capable of harming tear glands, which can make you progressively more dependent on artificial tear products (since you no longer can make your own). For those already suffering from this addiction, the best recourse is to work with a dry eye specialist who can provide better treatments to address the root cause of the redness (like dry eyes, toxic makeup products, blepharitis and/or allergies) and will sometimes prescribe slow tapers with supportive anti-inflammatories (like low dose steroids) to assist in the recovery. I’ve posted a lot on tears and dry eye treatments. One is available here: https://www.eyethera.com/.../why-cant-i-just-use-some...