If there’s one constant in my life, it’s that I’m constantly running on less sleep than I should be. I try my best to get at least seven hours, but it’s a lot easier said than done. Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep wreaks havoc on my overall appearance—I’ll wake up with a puffy face, dull skin, and, worst of all, bloodshot eyes.
With an ice roller and some high-quality vitamin C serum, I can usually keep the puffiness and dullness in check. My eyes, however, are much trickier. I can either pray they get less red as the day goes on or enlist the help of one of my favorite sneaky products: redness-relieving eye drops.
Eye drops are pretty much the secret behind every bright-eyed celebrity photo you’ve ever seen. They’re a holy-grail product for makeup artists, models, and photographers because they make you look like you got a full eight hours of sleep in under a minute. “Redness-relieving eye drops contain a type of ingredient known as vasoconstrictors, which work by constricting the conjunctival blood vessels, instantly making the vessels less visible and creating a whiter and brighter-looking eye,” says Diane Hilal-Campo, MD, board-certified ophthalmologist and founder of Twenty/Twenty Beauty.
Campo says most redness-relieving drops have tetrahydrozoline or naphazoline, which work to constrict the conjunctival arteries and make eyes appear brighter. She cautions that these shouldn’t be used as a long-term solution since they can damage the blood vessels and become ineffective after continued use.
If you want a more sustainable solution, she recommends looking for eye drops that constrict the veins, not the arteries, like Lumify, a newer form of redness-relieving drops. At the end of the day, though, eye drops should always be used sparingly. If you find yourself reaching for them on a daily basis, you should make an appointment with your eye doctor to get to the root cause. But for a quick fix, these drops can be lifesavers. Keep reading for my favorite redness-relieving drops for brighter, awake-looking eyes in a pinch.
These are far and away the most recommended eye drops for redness by ophthalmologists, as they constrict veins instead of arteries. “This drug is not damaging to the blood vessels, and it does not stop being effective with time like arterial vasoconstrictors do,” Hilal-Campo says. “The active ingredient is a dilute brimonidine.” They work nearly instantly and give your eyes an illuminated effect. If you don’t want to take my word for it, check out the 35,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Hilal-Campo cautions that you should be aware that these drops can cause allergic reactions, so test them carefully.
Hilal-Campo says this is a great option for short-term, occasional use to ease redness and itching. It’s universally well tolerated, so if your eyes are on the more sensitive side, you’re in luck.
Consider these drops a two-for-one: They relieve itchiness and redness.
For just $4, these drops work quickly to relieve redness. In under a minute, the main active ingredient, tetrahydrozoline, brightens eyes.
If you’re like me and suffer from chronic dry eye that leads to redness and irritation, try these gel drops for a spin. My eye doctor recommended them to me for dry eyes, and the thick formula also creates a shield of protection and moisture.
If your red eyes are caused by mild or moderate dry eye, these drops might be your ticket to relief. These stay in your eyes to provide comfort that lasts all day.
Homeopathic ingredients can help relieve redness, dryness, and irritation. They work quickly to make eyes feel and look more comfortable.
If extremely dry eyes are what’s causing redness, these drops may be able to offer some much-needed relief. They mimic your body’s natural tears to help hydrate.
Contact-lens wearers, rejoice! If you wear contacts, you know how irritated they can leave your eyes. These solve that by lubricating the eyes.
These will fix just about anything that’s causing you eye discomfort. Whether you’re dealing with redness, itchiness, or burning, you’ll find relief after just a few drops.
Unfortunately, it’s allergy season, which means one thing—itchy, red, watery eyes. These drops contain an antihistamine to relieve some of the symptoms.
