When should I worry about a broken blood vessel in my eye?

If you recently woke up with a bright red spot in your eye, you're probably feeling a little nervous. You're probably anxiously typing a lot of different questions in your favorite search engine, including some variation of:

• What is it?
• Why is it there?
• Is it dangerous?
• Should I call the doctor?

If you're worried about what a burst blood vessel in eye means for you, keep reading. Everything you need to know about causes and treatment options is explained below.

What is a Burst Blood Vessel?

A burst blood vessel in the eye is also known as a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It may look and sound like a serious health issue, but that's not always the case.

The blood vessels in the eye are very small and easily breakable. When they do break, blood gets trapped under the conjunctival membranes. This creates the bright red spot that startled you when you looked in the mirror this morning.

This red spot is the most common symptom of a burst blood vessel. Over time, it may take on a green or yellowish color, like a bruise.

Some people notice floaters, which are small shapes that look like little dots or squiggly lines in front of your eye. You may also notice a little bit of sensitivity or irritation.

Burst Blood Vessel Vs. Pink Eye

When they see their eye turning red, some people might panic and assume that they're suffering from pink eye.

While the results of a pink eye infection (also known as conjunctivitis) may appear similar to a subconjunctival hemorrhage, they are two very different conditions.

You'll usually be able to tell the difference between pink eye and a burst blood vessel by the presence or absence of other symptoms.

With the exception of floaters and mild sensitivity, there usually are no other symptoms that accompany a burst blood vessel. If you have pink eye, though, you'll notice several other unpleasant symptoms, including the following:

• Irritation and itchiness
• A yellow, white, or green discharge
• Dryness
• Wateriness

If these symptoms accompany the red spot in your eye, you may actually be suffering from pink eye.

What Causes a Burst Blood Vessel in Eye?

If you've ruled out pinkeye and are fairly certain you're dealing with a burst blood vessel, you're now probably wondering what caused this issue to occur.

There are a number of potential causes of a burst blood vessel, including the following actions:

• A violent cough
• A powerful sneeze
• Straining while lifting a heavy object
• Vomiting

A subconjunctival hemorrhage can also result from an eye injury. If you've been roughly rubbing your eyes, or if a foreign object hit your eye at some point, that may be the cause of your burst blood vessel.

Are Some People More Prone to Burst Blood Vessels?

Some people also suffer from medical conditions that increase their chances of experiencing a burst blood vessel. If you have one of the following conditions, your risk of bursting a blood vessel increases:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Blood-clotting disorders

People who are on blood-thinning medications like warfarin and aspirin are also more prone to burst blood vessels.

How Can You Treat a Burst Blood Vessel?

Generally speaking, there's not a lot that you can do to treat a burst blood vessel. Most of the time, the best thing to do is to just wait and let it heal while avoiding further irritating the area.

The broken blood vessel will usually naturally heal itself within one or two weeks. The blood will be reabsorbed and the appearance of your eye will return to normal.

While it heals, you can use artificial tears or lubricating eye drops to help get rid of any irritation.

It's also important to avoid rubbing or touching your eye. This can cause more irritation, increase your risk of infection, and potentially break more blood vessels. None of these situations is ideal when you're trying to recover from a burst blood vessel.

When Do You Need to See a Doctor about a Burst Blood Vessel?

You usually don't need an eye doctor's help when you're dealing with a burst blood vessel. But, if it lingers for more than two weeks, it could be a symptom of a more pressing issue that your doctor should take a look at.

You should also contact your doctor if you notice new symptoms like eye discharge, swelling, or sharp pain. These symptoms are often indicative of an infection like pink eye.

If your burst blood vessel lingers and is accompanied by changes in vision, pain, or strong light sensitivity, it could be an early sign of glaucoma.

Can You Prevent Burst Blood Vessels?

Since a burst blood vessel can be brought on by something as simple as a sneeze, they're not always preventable. But, at the same time, there are a few things you can do to keep them at bay:

• Avoid rubbing your eyes, and, when necessary, rub them as gently as possible
• If you have something in your eye, use artificial tears to flush it out rather than using your fingers
• Manage conditions like diabetes and hypertension as carefully as possible to prevent burst blood vessels as a side effect

If you're taking a medication that increases your risk of burst blood vessels, you can also talk to your doctor about additional steps to prevent them.

It's also important to schedule regular eye exams. When you meet with an eye doctor regularly, you can avoid or catch early more serious conditions like glaucoma that could lead to a burst blood vessel.

Do You Need to See a Doctor?

Hopefully, you can now rest easy after having your questions about a burst blood vessel answered.

But, if you still have questions, or if your burst blood vessel in eye has lingered for a few weeks, you can and should schedule an appointment with a vision specialist.

If you live in or around the San Antonio area, contact us at Focal Point Vision today for answers to all your questions.

Jan 26, 2021

Interviewer:

Broken Blood Vessel Behind Cornea

Now, the one exception to this might be if you get hit in the eye and there's actually blood behind the cornea, so behind that clear part of the eye in front of the iris, the colored part of the eye, and you see a line there that looks really dark, that's more concerning. So that's not behind the white part of the eye, that's behind the cornea and that's called a hyphema. So the reason that's concerning, that can cause issues with high pressure in the eye and cause staining of the eye, all sorts of things that can be problems, that would be a reason to go to the ER.

But here we're talking more about you wake up in the morning, you've got blood in the white party of your eye in the sclera. And you say, "Wow, this looks awful," probably you don't have to go to the ER. You could probably just go see an ophthalmologist or an optometrist.

updated: January 26, 2021

originally published: August 25, 2017

A subconjunctival hemorrhage occurs when a tiny blood vessel breaks just beneath the clear surface of the eye, called the conjunctiva. This can cause a speck of redness on the white of the eye or a larger area of visible blood.

While a subconjunctival hemorrhage can look scary, it is usually harmless and will resolve on its own without treatment.

In this article, you'll learn about the causes and symptoms of a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It will also describe the treatment options and when it is time to see a healthcare provider.

The sclera is the white part of your eye that is covered by a thin, clear tissue called the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva also lines the inside of your eyelid and houses a network of tiny blood vessels, called capillaries.

Capillaries are fragile and can easily break. The burst vessel will then leak blood into the space between the conjunctiva and sclera.

The main symptom of a subconjunctival hemorrhage is a blood-red discoloration on the white of the eye. Over time, the redness will then turn a greenish or yellowish color, much like a bruise. The symptoms will usually disappear within two weeks.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage is usually painless, although some people may experience a scratchy sensation in the eye.

If the leakage of blood is small, a subconjunctival hemorrhage may only cause a small area of redness or even a tiny red speck.

But, if the leakage is significant, the entire white of the eye may look red. In some cases, the affected tissues may bulge visibly outward.

turk_stock_photographer / Getty Images

A subconjunctival hemorrhage can be caused by a mechanical injury to the eye, certain medical conditions, or sudden, forceful changes to eye blood pressure.

Some of the possible causes of a subconjunctival hemorrhage include:

A newborn baby can also have a subconjunctival hemorrhage. This is caused by pressure changes as the baby passed through the birth canal during childbirth.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage may also be a warning sign for a severe underlying condition like diabetes, leukemia, or sickle cell disease.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage can be diagnosed with a visual examination of the eye. In addition to the eye exam, the optometrist or an ophthalmologist will take a complete medical history, including any drugs you may be taking. A blood pressure reading should also be taken.

Other tests may be ordered, if needed, including:

• Slit-lamp exam: A routine, non-invasive procedure in which bright light is directed into the eye to check for injury or disease
• Ocular tonometry; A non-invasive test used to measure the pressure inside your eyes
• Blood tests; Including tests like factor VIII and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) that can help check for bleeding disorders

A subconjunctival hemorrhage doesn't usually require treatment. Most will clear on their own within two weeks (although a warm compress to the eye may speed healing).

Any scratchiness can usually be relieved with over-the-counter artificial tears.

There may be times when a subconjunctival hemorrhage is a sign of something more serious. See a healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:

• A subconjunctival hemorrhage lasting more than three weeks
• A subconjunctival hemorrhage with eye pain
• Vision loss, including blurring and light sensitivity
• Recurring subconjunctival hemorrhages

A subconjunctival hemorrhage is bleeding in the white of the eye caused by a broken blood vessel. It is usually harmless, causing an area of blood-red discoloration that usually resolves on its own within two weeks.

Causes of subconjunctival hemorrhages include eye injury, severe high blood pressure, forceful sneezing or coughing, eye infections, certain medications, or bleeding disorders.

Even though the appearance of blood in your eye can be disturbing, it's usually no cause for alarm, especially if you don't have any pain or vision changes.

However, if you experience a subconjunctival hemorrhage more than twice a year, you should get a full checkup to see if there are any medical condtion contributing to the recurrence.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the fastest way to get rid of a subconjunctival hemorrhage?

  A subconjunctival hemorrhage usually resolves on its own, but you can use warm compresses to help speed up the process.

• How long do popped blood vessels last?

  Most subconjunctival hemorrhages will resolve within two weeks. See your healthcare provider if the condition persists for more than three weeks.

• Can you go blind from popping a blood vessel?

  In most cases, a subconjunctival hemorrhage is harmless. However, if the bleeding is caused by an underlying condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, it can lead sometimes to vision loss if left untreated.