 [ Symptoms ] we are spending a weekend with family members who have just recovered from colds are they still contagious [ Disease ] there can be many causes for discomfort and redness in the eye the only way to tell what is going on is to have your eye checked by your doctor or eye doctor right away some possibilities include a foreign body in the eye a stye an infection viral bacterial or fungal a chalazion an inflammatory growth under the eyelid or some other lesion eye allergies and dry eyes are also possibilities if you are a contact lens wearer do not put in your contacts until cleared by your doctor