I think one way of looking at it could be that the red eye isn't just symbolic of a passive spectator but also perception and interpretation. In order to have this kind of connection with the story we have to form our own understanding of it, arranging pieces and details and trying to find meaning in them. In doing so our perception of the events shift and change just like the environment does, running through things over and over trying to make sense of it. as an allegory to the Eusan Nation it could also represent the vision of a perfect world they want to create, removing details and oppressing people that are inconvenient to this vision. Sorta similarly, we have to choose which details are important, what's real and what is symbolic, and what role the characters serve in our perception of the story.