What causes red eye, and how can it be reduced?

Question:
What causes red eye, and how can it be reduced?
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Answer: Answer last updated:08-01-06
The "red eye" phenomenon is caused by the reflection of light off the blood vessels of the retina of the subject's eyes. It occurs most often when the flash is located close to the picture-taking lens of the camera. It tends to be more evident when the subject is young and has blue or gray eyes, which reflect more light than darker eyes. Children have larger pupils and less pigmentation than adults, and their eyes transmit more light back to the camera lens.

Red eye was not as common with older, bulkier cameras having separate flash units. These units either were attached to a handle or flash bracket several inches away from the lens, or the Flash could be detached and held away from the camera. With today's smaller cameras with built-in flash, the flash is closer to the lens.

Techniques to Help Reduce Red Eye

  • If the camera has the red-eye feature, set the Flash Mode to Red Eye.
  • Increase the level of light in the room by turning on all the room lights. The added light will cause the subject's pupils to contract, reducing the reflective surface that causes red reflections.
  • Have the subject look at a bright light (for example, a room lamp or a ceiling light) just before you take the flash picture. The bright light will reduce the size of the subject's pupils.
  • Red eye is more extreme when the subject's eyes are off-center in the picture; so if possible, center your subject and have the subject look directly at the camera.
  • If your camera has detachable flash capabilities, move the flash away from the camera lens. If the camera has these capabilities, you can also attach the flash to the camera with a flash cord and handhold it or clamp it to a nearby object.

NOTE: These techniques may not eliminate red eye completely. Use Kodak EasyShare software to remove the red eye that may still be present.

For more tips and techniques, visit the Taking Great Pictures Web page.
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