Blood spot on the white part of the eye? Don't panic! Let's talk about this (Subconjunctival Hemorrhage)

When you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror, have you suddenly been shocked? A big red blood spot on the white part of your eye ! It must have felt like something out of a horror movie. This is really scary for anyone to see. But don't worry. Most of the time, this is nothing to be afraid of. In medicine, we call this `(Subconjunctival Hemorrhage)`. Although it may sound a bit long and strange, this is usually a very simple condition. Let's talk about this clearly and simply today.

What exactly is this bloodshot eye ?

To understand this, let's first take a look at the structure of the eye . In simple terms, the white part of our eye is called the `sclera`. Above this white part, there is a very thin, transparent membrane, like glass. This is called the `conjunctiva`. This is the same membrane that covers the inside of your eyeball.

Now the important thing is, inside this thin membrane, there are many tiny blood vessels that are very delicate, not even as thick as a hair. We call these ``(capillaries)``. Because these blood vessels are very delicate, sometimes they can burst even with a little pressure.

So, in a `(Subconjunctival Hemorrhage)`, one or more of those tiny blood vessels burst, and some blood comes out and collects under that membrane called `(conjunctiva).` It's like when you bruise your arm or leg, the blood collects under the skin and turns blue. But when this blood collects on the white part of the eye , we can clearly see it as a bright red color. That's why we get scared when we see it.

What are the symptoms of this?

The amazing thing about this is that apart from the scary red color of the eyes , there are often no other symptoms.

Many people don't even know that something like this has happened to their eyes . They don't know until someone tells them or they see it in the mirror. But very rarely, some people can feel something. Let's see what can and cannot be seen in this condition.

Why is this happening? What are the reasons?

You may be thinking, "I didn't do anything, why did this happen all of a sudden?" In fact, sometimes this can happen for no apparent reason. But most often it's caused by a sudden, temporary increase in blood pressure in our veins. There are several situations in which this can happen.

Common causes

• Coughing, sneezing, and vomiting loudly: When you have a cold and cough and sneeze loudly, it puts a lot of pressure on your body. That pressure can burst the delicate blood vessels in your eyes .
• Heavy lifting or straining: This can happen when lifting something very heavy, bending forward, or straining hard due to constipation while going to the bathroom.
• Rubbing the eyes vigorously: Some people rub their eyes very vigorously when they have an eye infection. Doing so can also damage these delicate blood vessels.
• Minor injuries to the eye or head: This condition can occur if something hits the eye or if the eye becomes infected.
• Wearing contact lenses: People who wear contact lenses are at slightly higher risk due to things like dry eyes and friction.
• Certain medications: This risk is higher for people taking blood thinners, especially those taking blood thinners (Aspirin, Warfarin).

Rare causes

Sometimes this can be a symptom of another medical condition, but that's very rare.

• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Blood clotting disorders: This can also happen to people with blood-related diseases like ``Hemophilia`` or ``von Willebrand disease``.

Who is most at risk of developing this condition?

Although anyone can develop this, some people are at a higher risk.

• Age: People over the age of 65 are at higher risk because blood vessels become weaker as they age. This is especially common in older adults with conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.
• Contact lens wearers: As mentioned earlier, contact lenses cause dryness and friction on the surface of the eye , increasing the risk of burst blood vessels.
• People who have undergone eye surgery: For example, someone who has undergone cataract surgery may develop a blood stain like this after the surgery. This is normal.

How does a doctor diagnose this? What is the treatment?

This is very simple. Your doctor can diagnose a subconjunctival hemorrhage by looking at your eye. No other special tests are usually needed. However, if you have bruising or bleeding elsewhere on your body, or if your doctor is suspicious, he or she may want to check your blood pressure.

Now let's get to the best part. This doesn't require any special treatment.

This process usually takes about a week or two . If the blood stain is a little larger, it can take up to three weeks. During this time, the dark red blood stain, like an old bruise, will start to change color. It will turn yellow, green, and gradually fade. This is completely normal.

If your eyes feel a little itchy, you can ask your doctor about using eye drops, such as ``Artificial tears''. This will help your eyes feel a little better.

So, when do you need to see a doctor?

Although most of the time this is nothing to worry about, there are some special cases where you should definitely see a doctor.

Can this be prevented?

Although it cannot be completely prevented, the risk can be reduced.

• If you wear contact lenses, always keep them clean.
• Wear eye protection when playing sports or doing risky work.
• If you have a blood clotting disorder, always talk to your doctor about it and follow his/her instructions.
• If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, control them well.