How to make your eyes red fast, have bloodshot eyes, and look high for a short or long time safely without any eye damage can be a challenge. Remember, your eyes are delicate and you should be very careful how you handle them. Children should never use these steps without the help of adults and guardians.
It may be for a scene play in drama or just making a prank. Here, we will look at ways on how to make your eyes red, red-eye significance, and how to treat the eye redness and get them back to their normal state.
Before you get a solution on how to make your eyes red, it is good to know a few tips about the eye. When the blood vessels on the sclera are swollen or dilated, the eye comes red. The sclera is the part of the eye that plays a big role in making the eyes red.
The sclera also referred to as the white of the eye is the protective fibrous outer layer of the eye and contains collagen and elastic fiber.
How to Make Your Eyes Red and Give it a Bloodshot Look
Unless you are trying to go blind, ensure you fake red eyes or get the bloodshot looking eyes you desire but still keep your eye’s health and condition in good and proper check. Use the most comfortable and safe ways to irritate your eyes and make the red.
Here are some tips on how to make your eyes red and look high. Ensure to pick what is comfortable based on your past eye complications or conditions. Your eye’s safety should be considered.
1. Trick yourself into crying
Crying is one of the best ways of getting your eyes red and puffy. Crying makes the tiny blood vessels in the eye dilated and increases the blood flow and this makes them turn red.
Crying also strains the muscles on the face. This results in a miserable puffy face sometimes accompanied by swollen eyelids.
- Hold your breath as you tune yourself into a crying. Holding breath helps in a limited supply of oxygen that helps in keeping the eyes white.
- Have limited breaths as you close and gently rub your eyes to strain the muscles. Do not rub vigorously.
- Tears contain a lot of salt that causes the eyelids to retain water. This, in turn, makes the puffy
- Continue closing your eyes tightly for about 5-10 minutes then you are good to go.
- Checking on the mirror is a good idea to know if you are ready or you need to stop.
2. Using onions as a solution on how to make your eyes red
Onions act as a good natural eye irritant since it contains and produces syn-propanediol-s-oxide that easily tears up the eyes making them turn red. We can simply say that they contain enzymes that irritate the eye.
- Slice up strong-flavored yellow or white onion in pieces
- Wrap the pieces in a clean handkerchief. Do not use a very thick handkerchief material
- Gently rub on your lower eyelid keeping a safe distance from your eyes
- Rub a few more on your nostrils to encourage teary eyes that will even give better results
- If you get rich and good raw onions, just slicing them as you look close to eating them is enough to irritate your eyes and make you look high red eyes.
3. Menthol
Menthol is an organic compound that is obtained from mint oils like peppermint or corn mint. This irritant should be used with care and the vapor should not contact the eyes whatsoever. This should solve the question of how to make your eyes red if used properly and carefully.
- Put some menthol on a clean cotton bud or a clean handkerchief
- Apply a small amount on the lower eyelid but not too close to the eye
- Let it settle for about 5 minutes
- The irritation should be begging to take effect on your eye making them turn red
4. Berezin or use of Burt’s bees lip balm to get red eyes and look high
Berezin is the act of applying the Burt’s bees lip balm wax on the eyelids with an intention of solving how to make your eyes red. This should be used carefully since it is very strong and may even give you a pink eye.
According to Dr. Brett Cauthen “The peppermint oil in the lip balm is a very strong irritant and can cause inflammation in the eye redness of the eye swelling and it is the one that causes the burning sensation”
- Get some Burt’s bees lip balm on the tip of your fingers. NOTE: use a very small amount
- Gently apply on your upper eyelid using your finger and keep a safe distance from your eyes
- Let it settle for about 3-5 minutes. You will already get the sensation and irritation
- Use a damp cloth to gently wipe it off your eyes after the irritation.
5. Peppermint oil
Peppermint oil is commonly sold at local food retail outlets or health food stores. It works exactly like the steps used in using menthol. Avoid your eye contact with the oil since it can sting and give prolonged discomforts.
- Put some menthol on a clean cotton bud or a clean handkerchief
- Gently apply small amounts on the lower eyelids by rubbing the cloth on them and not too close to the eye
- Let it settle for about 5 minutes
- The irritation should beg to take effect on your eye making them turn red
6. Stop blinking for some time
Blinking helps in lubricating the eyeball. When you don’t blink, the eye becomes irritated causing them to turn red and puffy.
- Be still and stare at one bright point around you with eyes steadily open ( not too bright like the sun or bulb)
- Resist the blinking urge however bad you feel like and keep looking up ahead
- After a few minutes, you will get irritation or painful feeling on the eye
7. Tear stick
You may get a tear stick from your nearest outlet. A tear stick looks like a lipstick or lip balm and is always readily available in most beauty and artistically outlets. Just the same way lipstick is used, is the same way you pop up the contents of a tear stick
- Pop up the contents of the tear stick and gently rub the waxy semi-solid content on your lower eyelid
- Keep a safe distance from the eye since it is not safe to get it in contact with the eyes at all
- Let it settle and after a few minutes the vapor from the wax will irritate the eye, tearing them up and making them turn red
8. Rubbing below your eyes
Red watery eyes can be archived also by gently rubbing below your eyes. Keep in mind that most crucial parts of the eye like the cornea are very delicate this ensures to apply gently and very little pressure. This is one of the simple and handy ways of getting red-eye.
- Wash your hands and face with soap and dry them to avoid bacterial infections
- Using your hands, make a first, close your eyes, and gently rub the area below your eyes. This physical irritation should just be enough to give us the needed results
- Do this for about 3-5 minutes while using gentle pressure to avoid any eye damage
9. Swimming in a chlorine pool
Chlorine is mostly used in swimming pools to sanitize the water but did you know that it is also a good eye irritant? Yes, many people get red eyes after staying in the swimming pool for some time.
- Get into the deep end of the swimming pool without swimming glasses
- Keep your eyes open under the pool for about 3-5 minutes
- Make sure you do not take too long since you don’t want any harm to your eyes.
- The longer you stay in, the more red, puffy and inflamed your eyes become so regulate your as per your desire
10. Sleepless
Before you do this, remember not to operate any machines or do any heavy duties the flowing day since less sleep impairs your judgment and weakens the general body.
- Just as simple as it sounds, get less sleepover and you will have red strained bloodshot eyes. Staying for a long period of time strains the eye because naturally, the general body needs to rest.
- This also explains why after sleeping late, the flowing day you may wake up with swollen eyes red bloodshot eyes and stay the same for a better part of the day.
11. Colored contacts
Using colored contacts may be a solution to how to make your eyes red. Contact is also a great and simple idea to use.
- If you always need to fake red looking bloodshot eyes, it is a good idea to consult contact lenses experts to customize lenses that match your eye color and that blend in well.
- If well-chosen, they can give very good results that may well suit your need for redeyes.
12. Use psychological tricks on the brain
This is a greater way of getting red eyes in case you are in a situation where you cannot lay hands on any physical things that might help. Give the might a thought full state that will make you strain in thoughts
- Tune into a sad or depressive state by thinking about sad events like past breakups, or even arguments that made you sad.
- Everyone has a past so just figure out what works best and close your eyes tightly about it.
- Focus on things that cause painful thoughts and memories of your emotions. Induce the mind to it and simply cry it out emotionally.
- Making yourself frustrated or angry can also work. Some people can carefully choose any part of the body they are comfortable with and intentionally knock it on any hard object around to induce pain. This makes one to easily cry to achieve the desired red eyes.
13. Bathing soap or shampoo
While taking baths or shows, you may let a few of the foam into your eyes. It is advisable to use ordinary soap or shampoo in this case since they do not contain very harmful chemicals. If you are not sure about the contents of any soap, consult your nearest pharmacist or optician for medical advice on them. This is a quick solution for how to make your eyes red.
- Get into the shower and take a normal bath making a foam out of the soap
- Just open your eye in a split second and close again tightly for the soap to irritate them as you rinse off your body
- Ensure that it is not concentrated and that is why it is best done as you rinse off
- You may quickly let clean water into your eyes again to rinse off any over irritating soap and close them to allow them to tear up and to be naturally rinsed by your tears
- Avoid long showers in this case since the purpose is to get your eyes red
- You may just consider washing you face and involve the steps above in case you don’t have time for a bath
14. Alcohol in connection with how to make your eye red
We all know that alcohol will not make you look high but it will get you high. So depending on the purpose of making your eyes red, you should first think outside the box before using this method on how to make your eyes red.
Alcohol reduces the oxygen flow to red blood cells and this clumps them together. Since the eyes need oxygen, the white part of the eye will strain and this will make the tiny veins on it red as the try to have more blood circulation.
- Taking a few shots of strong whiskey or liquor tots should be enough to give you the red eye
- The number of tots will depend on the type of alcohol and the individual’s ability to hold alcohol. If you don’t drink just two or three should give you the desired results.
- For those who are used to the bottle, take some tots, and use a mirror to see if you are good to go.
- After the red eyes are achieved, consider not drinking and getting too high to deliver on your desired purpose for the red looking bloodshot eyes.
15. Smoking cigarettes
Before using this, please note that cigarette smoking is harmful to your health. Smoking not only causes lung cancer but it also leads to many other complications.
- Smoking influences the tiny blood vessels of the sclera making them have increased blood flow. They turn red and this, in turn, gives the eye a red bloodshot look
- However much u want answers on how to turn your eyes red, consider the people you are going to meet with the cigarette smell on you if it is not a sensitive environment, then smoking may work for you.
16. Use makeups to fake red eyes
Using aesthetic tricks is a good tip on how to make your eyes red. This can give you fake red bloodshot eyes and make you look high depending on how you need it. Make sure you use mild makeups since some may contain allergens that may react to your eyelids.
- Using a red eyeliner, make small spots on the eyelids outline
- Get a red lip liner or red eye shadow and carefully apply on the lower eyelid to give them a red look.
- For a redder eye look, you may add some on the upper eyelid. This will depend on why you need the eyelid.
- Gently smudge the applied red lip liner spots on the eyelids using a cotton bud until they are no longer visible.
- The aim is to make the spots disappear by rubbing then equally using the cotton bud
- Apply a bit of the red eye shadow on the edge of the eyelids to enhance on that red look
Things to Avoid When Trying to Get Red or Bloodshot Eyes
When using the steps on how to make your eyes red and as noted in most of the points above, try not to directly use anything directly on the eye just to turn them red.
Most of the points above if well noted revolve around the eye. Consult an optician or a professional makeup artist in case you need to use anything directly on the eye.
1. Pepper or pepper spray
Using strong irritants like pepper or mace can cause serious eyelid irritations or even permanent blindness. You probably just want red eyes and not to lose your valued sight.
2. Do not touch the necked eyeball
Irritating the eyeball directly can damage the delicate eyeball especially when using the eye rubbing method. Touching the eyeball may also easily infect them with bacteria transferred from the hands. Any slight scratch on the eye is enough to lead to serious effects like loss of sight.
3. Menthol precaution
When using any substance that contains menthol, do not use it on the eyes or even too close to the eyes. This should be noted to avoid seriously swollen eyes and uncontrolled watery eyes. How to make your eyes red is a question that should be solved with care since the eyes are very delicate and should not be lost just because you wanted to make them red.
4. Smoking marijuana and how to make your eyes red
Remember you are trying to fake red eyes or act like you look high but not to get the real deal here. Marijuana has intoxication effects that impair your judgments. Since you need the red eyes to achieve a goal like maybe acting you need to stay focused on your mission and think straight.
Marijuana smoking gives red bloodshot eyes once you are high but it is against the lay to use this. You don’t want to serve jail terms just because you wanted red eyes. No judge or police will take that for an excuse. How to make your eyes red has many solutions to it so just avoid smoking marijuana.
Related Symptoms of Red Eyes
It is important to look at some of the related red eye symptoms and use this knowledge in the process of learning how to make your eyes red. These symptoms will let you know if the method you choose to use is working of maybe you opt for another method.
- Watery discharge wither watery or thick
- Irritation in the eyes
- Irritation on either the upper or lower eyelids or both
- A burning like feeling or sensation on the eyes or eyelids
- Swollen or puffy eyelids
- Light sensitivity when over staring at bright arrears to achieve red or bloodshot eyes
- Blurry vision and straining to see distant objects
Home Remedies for Red Eye
The best way of getting rid of or clearing red-eye that was introduced on purpose is by using home remedies. Remember this was done intentionally so if you avoid chemicals in the eye, the better.
1. A warm compress over dry bloodshot red eyes
This will help a lot in soothing the eyes and lubricating them. Warm water or cold water compress both works best in relieving red eyes significantly. A warm compress can be used when the red eyes were causes mostly from dry eyes.
- Get some warm water and soak a clean face towel in it
- Wring off most of the excessive water and Gently hold against the eye and compress
- Compress for about 10-15 minutes and repeat at least 3 times a day
2. Use cucumber to clear eye redness
Cucumbers provide a simple home remedy solution to red eyes. They are simple to use and have a good effect on clearing red swollen eyes.
- But a whole cucumber in the refrigerator for some time to cool the contents.
- Slice up the cool cucumber and place a piece over each eye and hold then in one place
- Hold for about 10-20 minutes for better results
3. Cold compress over for itchy red eyes
When irritants that are allergic to the eyes were used to get the red eyes, using a cool compress over them might be a quick fix to relieve any swelling, sore eyes, and pain.
- Get some cool water and soak a face towel in the bucket
- Wring off most of the excessive water and Gently hold against the eye and compress
- Compress for about 10-20 minutes and repeat at least 3 times a day
4. Use rose water
This is good mostly in cases were the irritant used to get the red eyes left a puffy look under your eyes.
- Putt some rose water in a bucket and soak a cotton ball in it
- Place the cotton balls over your eyes for about 15-20 minutes
- Rinse with cold water and pat dry
- Using an eyedropper, get some 2-3 drops of rose water in your eyes
- Close your eye for 3-5 minutes. This will help a lot in reducing puffiness under eyes
5. Green tea bags
Green tea has anti-inflammatory effects on the eyes. After learning how to make your eyes red and achieving red eyes, green tea bags will best work were the irritants involved caused inflammation of the eyelids. It will also help clear the red looking eyes.
- Place some used green tea bags in the refrigerator to make them cold
- Close your eyes and place the cool teabags over your eyes
- The tannins that are present in the teabags will help reduce swelling of the eyelids
- This will also ease and aid the clearing of the red eyes.
- You may also boil the teabags and put the water in a cup to cool
- Wash your eyes with the water two times a day every day until the red eyes are gone
6. Milk and Honey
Using this on the eyes can help in clearing a red-eye look.
- Get some raw milk and place in the refrigerator to make it cold
- Put the cold milk in a container and soak a cotton pad in it
- Gently rub over the eyes for 15-20 minutes
- You may also mix milk and honey in equal ratios 2:2
- Use an eyedropper to get 2-3 drops in each of your eyes and close for some time
7. Whitening eye drops
Whitening eye drops specifically for red eyes contain vasoconstrictors. This are substances that help in shrinking the swollen and enlarged tiny blood vessels on the surface of the eye to reduce redness.
This can be bought over the counter but it is good to consult the pharmacist on how to best use them.
- Lie on you back facing up with your eye open
- Steadily hold the eye drop container above your eyes and get a few drops in your eyes as recommended by your pharmacist
- Stay with your eyes closed for about 3-4 minutes to allow the drops to settle
- Consult your doctor in case of any unusual reactions or persistent redness
Red Eye Treatment
When home remedies don’t work consult a doctor. When an ophthalmologist (a doctor who specializes in eye and vision care) is consulted, they will diagnose the red eye or bloodshot eye condition before administering any treatment.
This is important since they always take precautions not to administer any wrong treatments on the delicate eye. They may prescribe different medications depending on the cause of the persistent red eye. Below are a few medications that may be prescribed;
- Antibiotic eye lotions
- Flaxseed oil is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Use as prescribed by the doctor.
- Eye ointments and artificial tear ointments
- Bilberry tablets
- Antihistamine tablets and corticosteroids
- Use moisture-rich wetting agent on dry contacts that might have irritated your eyes