If you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and suddenly see a big red blood spot on the white of your eye , it's a little scary, right? Or maybe you see a friend or family member and ask, "Oh, my eye is red, what happened?" It's normal for us to get a little scared when we see something like this. However, most of the time, it's not serious. We call this condition `(Subconjunctival Hemorrhage)`. Although the name is a little complicated, the fact is often simple. Let's talk about this in detail today, okay?
What exactly is subconjunctival hemorrhage?
Simply put, this is when a small blood vessel on the surface of your eye bursts, causing some blood to leak out. Now look, you have the white part of your eye , which we medically call the `(Sclera)`. On top of that, there is a thin membrane that protects the eye from dust and dirt. This membrane is called the `(Conjunctiva).` Inside this `(Conjunctiva)` there are many very fine, small blood vessels, or rather, a network of small blood capillaries . These are very fine, so they can burst easily.
When a blood vessel bursts, the blood collects under the membrane called the `(Conjunctiva)`. That's when the white part of the eye looks like a red blood stain. Because this blood is trapped inside the `(Conjunctiva)`, it can't move or be wiped away. But the important thing is, this bleeding doesn't happen on the black part of the eye (the part where we see - `(Cornea)`) or inside the eye. So most of the time, your vision won't be harmed.
Although this red spot can look scary, it often doesn't cause any other symptoms or require any special treatment. It usually clears up on its own within a week or two.
What are the symptoms of this? What do you feel?
In fact, apart from the bright red spot visible in the eye , there are hardly any other major symptoms of a ``Subconjunctival Hemorrhage''.
- No pain: Most people do not feel any pain.
- No swelling: The eye does not swell.
- No change in vision: Your vision will not be blurred or you will not experience any other discomfort.
Many people only notice this condition when they look in the mirror in the morning or when someone else notices it. Sometimes, very rarely, the eye may feel a little dizzy or have mild irritation . However, there is no discharge or other serious symptoms.
Why does a blood vessel in the eye burst like this? What are the causes?
There are several reasons why these tiny blood vessels in the eyes can burst. Certain activities and health conditions can cause the blood pressure in our veins to suddenly increase. When the pressure increases suddenly, the tiny blood vessels in the eyes can burst.
Here are some of the most common reasons:
- Straining:
- Coughing loudly
- When you sneeze loudly `(Sneezing)`
- When vomiting `(Vomiting)`
- When trying to defecate in the toilet
- Injury to the eye or head: If something hits the eye, or if an infection develops in the eye.
- Lifting, pushing, or bending forward: When lifting a heavy object at once, pushing something, or bending forward at once.
- Rubbing your eye too hard: Some people rub their eyes too hard in their sleep, and that can happen.
- Contact lenses: If not used properly or for some people, contact lenses can cause blindness.
- Certain medications: especially blood thinners (e.g., Aspirin, Warfarin) and cancer medications such as Interferon.
Relatively less common causes:
- Diabetes `(Diabetes Mellitus)`
- High blood pressure
- Blood clotting disorders
Sometimes, this type of eye bleeding can occur for no apparent reason (idiopathic). This means that even a doctor can't figure out why it happened.
Who is at higher risk of developing this condition?
Although anyone can develop this condition (Subconjunctival Hemorrhage), some people are at higher risk for it.
- Age: People over the age of 65 are more likely to develop this condition, especially if they have vascular conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
- People who wear contact lenses: People who wear contact lenses are also at higher risk. Because contact lenses can sometimes cause dryness and friction in the conjunctiva, which can lead to inflammation and rupture of blood vessels.
- People who have undergone eye surgery: For example, someone who has undergone surgery such as cataract surgery has a small chance of this happening after the surgery.
Can this cause serious complications?
The good news is that in most cases, Subconjunctival Hemorrhage is a harmless condition and does not cause any complications.
However, very rarely, this can be a symptom of a serious underlying condition. Some of these cases include:
- Vascular disease.
- Bleeding or blood clotting disorder.
- Severe asthma.
- Non-accidental trauma (especially in children).
- Severe eye (orbital) trauma.
Therefore, if you experience frequent eye bleeding like this, or if it is accompanied by other symptoms, it is wise to seek medical advice.
How does a doctor recognize this?
A doctor or ophthalmologist can diagnose a ``Subconjunctival Hemorrhage'' by examining your eye . It does not require extensive testing.
At the same time, the doctor may also check your blood pressure . This is especially important if you have bruises or bleeding elsewhere on your body.
Is there a way to quickly heal this bloodshot eye ? What are the treatments?
Most of the time, ``Subconjunctival Hemorrhage'' does not require any special treatment . It heals on its own.
- If you feel a little uncomfortable or dry in your eyes , you can use artificial tears ( a type of eye drop you can buy at the pharmacy). This will help your eyes feel better.
- Most of the time, this blood stain will completely disappear within a week or two. However, if the blood stain is a bit larger, it may take a few more days to heal.
- As the blood is gradually absorbed into the body, the color of that red spot also starts to change . Just like when we get a bruise somewhere on our body, as it heals, it changes color to blue, green, yellow, and finally disappears. At first it is dark red, then it becomes a little brown, yellow, and then disappears.
Important:
If you have eye pain along with this red spot, it is something to be concerned about. If so, definitely see an ophthalmologist. Because it could be a sign of a more serious condition, such as `(Hyphema)` (blood collecting in front of the iris of the eye ).
If you have frequent bleeding in your eyes , your doctor may want you to have some tests done to check for an underlying condition, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease, which can affect blood clotting.
Can this kind of eye bleeding be prevented?
If you have risk factors for developing this condition (Subconjunctival Hemorrhage), there are some steps you can take to prevent them:
- If you wear contact lenses, keep them clean and use them exactly as your doctor recommends.
- When playing sports or doing hazardous work, wear appropriate protective eyewear to protect your eyes.
- If you have a bleeding disorder , talk to your doctor about it and follow the instructions.
- If you have diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes, control them well.
What happens if this situation arises? What should we expect?
Don't worry. Most of the time, a subconjunctival hemorrhage will resolve on its own within about two weeks. The whites of your eyes may have a slight yellowish tint until the blood is completely absorbed. However, your vision will not be affected.
Sometimes this condition can recur. About 10% of people with no risk factors will develop it again. This percentage can be even higher in people with risk factors, such as those taking blood thinners.
When should you see a doctor?
Most cases of `(Subconjunctival Hemorrhage)` heal on their own without any treatment, so you don't always need to rush to the doctor. However, it's a good idea to see a doctor or an ophthalmologist in cases like these:
- If you have eye pain.
- If there is any change in vision (such as blurring, double vision).
- If this occurred after a severe head or eye injury .
- If your eyes bleed frequently (several times within a few months).
- If you are taking blood thinners and this condition occurs frequently.
- If you notice unusual bleeding or bruising in other parts of your body along with the red spot on your eye .
Summary and Take-Home Message
Okay, so I hope you now have a better understanding of the ``Subconjunctival Hemorrhage'' or bleeding under the eye that we talked about today.
The most important thing is not to panic when you see this . Although it may look like you're in a ghost movie and your eyes may be red, most of the time it's not dangerous. It usually goes away on its own within a week or two without any treatment.
However, as I said before, if you have this red spot along with eye pain, a change in vision, or if you have frequent eye bleeding, you should definitely see a doctor for advice. Because it could be a symptom of another underlying medical condition.
Your eyes are a very valuable asset, so it's very important to take care of them.
` Eye, Bleeding, Bleeding in the Eye, Red Spot in the Eye, Subconjunctival Hemorrhage, Eye Health, Eye Diseases
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