I Have a Bloody Eye. Should I Be Worried?

One of the most frightening eye conditions is when the eyes become bloody red. Often times, this is due to a condition known as a subconjunctival hemorrhage. The clear mucus lining over the white of the eye is called the conjunctiva and has many small blood vessels beneath it.

Any of these blood vessels can rupture and leak blood into the space between the conjunctiva and the sclera resulting in a subconjunctival hemorrhage. Fortunately, a subconjunctival hemorrhage is not a serious condition and will nearly always resolve on its own without any treatment. It typically takes seven to ten days for the blood to completely reabsorb and for the eye to appear white again.
 

What is the Conjunctiva?

The conjunctiva is the mucus membrane that covers the entire white of the eye and extends to the internal surface of the eyelids.

The functions of the conjunctiva include protecting the eye, producing mucus for the tear film, and keeping the eyes lubricated.

The conjunctiva has many immune system components including antibodies and white blood cells. These cells require a highly vascularized environment to move throughout the body.

There are many capillary beds within the conjunctiva to accommodate the need for lots of blood flow to the area.
 

Why Does Bloody Eye Occur?

A subconjunctival hemorrhage can occur when there is any excessive force or pressure put on the eye.

This may include a traumatic event such as something hitting, scratching, or rubbing the eye or may be due to an increase in the pressure in the head.

Simple actions like coughing, sneezing, vomiting, and even bending over can increase the pressure and lead to a broken blood vessel in the conjunctiva.

In many cases, there is not a known event that led to the subconjunctival hemorrhage but rather the bloody appearance was noticed seemingly out of the blue.

While it is possible for a subconjunctival hemorrhage to occur spontaneously, it is unlikely that there was not an event that led to the broken blood vessel.

If taking blood thinners, such as aspirin, it is much more likely that even a small change in the pressure can lead to a subconjunctival hemorrhage.
 

The Prognosis for a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

A subconjunctival hemorrhage is considered a self-limiting problem as it should resolve on its own without any treatment or intervention.

Usually, this type of hemorrhage will resolve in a little more than a week, but it may persist longer if the hemorrhage was particularly large or there are mitigating factors to the healing process.

If concerned about a subconjunctival hemorrhage, visit your eye doctor and have it evaluated in person to ensure that there is no additional damage to the eye such as a scratch or laceration.

In rare cases, a doctor may feel that a prescription eye drop is needed to either ease discomfort or speed up the resolution of the subconjunctival hemorrhage.

However, most of the time, after visiting an eye doctor, the recommended treatment is to monitor the subconjunctival hemorrhage for resolution.

Our eye doctor at Local Eyes Optometry in New Braunfels, TX excels in the prescription of glasses, contact lenses and the diagnosis of a variety of eye diseases. Call our optometrist at (830) 627-9272 or schedule an eye exam appointment online if you would like to learn more about getting a bloody eye. Our eye doctor, Dr. Marcus Page, provides the highest quality optometry services and eye exams in New Braunfels, Texas.