I popped a blood vessel in my eye

Your vision is a key part of your overall quality of life. Maintaining consistency with eye exams and uncovering any potential eye care issues is essential to preserving that quality of life.

Naturally, if anything out of the ordinary occurs with your eyes, that can cause concern. Something like broken blood vessels can be one of those out-of-the-ordinary eye issues.

Let’s explore what causes broken blood vessels in your eye and if it’s dangerous. 

What Causes Broken Blood Vessels in Your Eye?

Broken blood vessels in your eye, otherwise known as a subconjunctival hemorrhage, occur when a tiny blood vessel breaks beneath the clear surface of your eye. The clear surface of your eye can’t absorb the blood quick enough—so the blood gets trapped.

You may not even feel or realize your broken blood vessel issue until you see yourself in the mirror. The main symptom of a broken blood vessel in your eye is all visual in the form of a bright red patch on the white of your eye.

There are various causes of broken blood vessels in your eye, and many are unknown—causes can include:

  • Accidental injury
  • Surgery 
  • Eyestrain
  • Forceful sneezing
  • Strong coughing
  • Eye infections
  • Vitamin C deficiency

Broken blood vessels in your eye are a common condition that can occur at any age and are equally common for all sexes and races. However, the risk of experiencing this type of bleeding increases as you get older.

Some risk factors include:

  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Certain blood-thinning medications
  • Blood-clotting disorders

Now that you know what can cause broken blood vessels in your eye let’s explore if it can be dangerous. 

I popped a blood vessel in my eye
I popped a blood vessel in my eye

Can Broken Blood Vessels in Your Eye be Dangerous?

While the appearance of a broken blood vessel in your eye can be concerning, it often occurs without doing any obvious harm to your eye and is not dangerous. In most cases, you won’t even notice it. 

Health complications from broken blood vessels in your eye are rare and just look worse than it is. Your optometrist will be able to diagnose your condition right away and follow up to ask about your overall health.

The follow-up will consist of your doctor determining if you have a bleeding disorder through a blood test. This test ensures you don’t have more complicated future issues with broken blood vessels in your eye. 

Prevention Methods

Preventing broken blood vessels in your eye entirely is not always possible—it can help to avoid medications that increase your risk of bleeding. 

Practicing good eye care methods can help combat the risk of bleeding, including:

  • Avoid rubbing your eyes
  • Flush your eyes with your own tears or artificial tears
  • Always wear protective goggles to avoid getting particles in your eyes

Usually, treatment is unnecessary, and the condition

The condition will usually resolve itself within 7 to 14 days. Throughout the healing process, you may notice a change in your eye’s appearance. This change is normal and not a cause for concern—you’ll notice the affected bleeding area may also turn yellow or pink.

You may need further evaluation if your doctor finds your condition is due to high blood pressure or a bleeding disorder.    

Taking Care of Your Eyes

Eye care issues like broken blood vessels in your eye can be concerning when you first notice them. It’s essential to consult your optometrist and get the proper testing done to determine how serious the condition may be. Most cases of broken blood vessels resolve themselves. 

Book an appointment with your optometrist today to learn more about the condition and see if you need any further treatment. 

The conjunctiva, or membrane that covers the white of an eye, has many blood vessels that can break, resulting in what is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage on the eye's surface. Most causes are not serious and can be diagnosed by doctors easily.

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Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
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Overview

What is subconjunctival hemorrhage?

Subconjunctival hemorrhage is the term for a broken blood vessel on the surface of the eye. The clear membrane that lines the inside of the eyelid and covers the white of the eye is called the conjunctiva. It has many very small blood vessels that break easily. When a break happens, blood can leak under the conjunctiva. When this happens, the blood causes part of the white of your eye to turn bright red.

The red spots caused by subconjunctival hemorrhage can look scary. But most cases do not cause any symptoms or need treatment. It is most common in older people, but it can happen at any age.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes a subconjunctival hemorrhage?

Most cases of subconjunctival hemorrhage have no known cause. Some events and conditions can cause blood vessels on the eye to break. These include:

  • Straining (during coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or while using the toilet)
  • Injury to the head or eye, including infection
  • Rubbing the eye too hard
  • Wearing contact lenses
  • Taking medications, including blood thinners and a cancer drug called interferon

What are the symptoms of subconjunctival hemorrhage?

Other than the red spot, there are no symptoms associated with subconjunctival hemorrhage. It does not cause pain or swelling, and it does not affect your vision. Most people who have so-called “red eye” do not even know it until they look in a mirror or someone tells them.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is subconjunctival hemorrhage diagnosed?

A doctor can diagnose subconjunctival hemorrhage by looking at the eye. The condition does not have any other identifying features.

Management and Treatment

How is subconjunctival hemorrhage treated?

Subconjunctival hemorrhage doesn’t require treatment. Artificial tears (eye drops) can help relieve eye irritation if it occurs. Most broken blood vessels heal within 2 weeks. Larger spots may take longer to go away. As the blood clears up, the color of the area may change, like a fading bruise.

Contact your doctor if pain accompanies the eye redness. This could be a sign of other conditions that are more serious, such as a hyphema (collection of blood in front of the colored part of the eye).

If broken blood vessels appear in your eyes often, your doctor may want you to undergo tests to try to identify an underlying cause. Sometimes, disorders related to blood clotting such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease, make subconjunctival hemorrhage more likely.

Prevention

Can subconjunctival hemorrhage be prevented?

If you have risk factors for subconjunctival hemorrhage, you can take steps to prevent broken blood vessels, including:

  • Keeping your contact lenses clean
  • Wearing protective eyewear during sports or activities that involve flying debris
  • Checking with your doctor if you have a bleeding disorder

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Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 02/20/2018.

References

  • American Academy of Ophthalmology. What is a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage? (https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-subconjunctival-hemorrhage) Accessed 11/18/2021.
  • Tarlan B, Kiratli H. Subconjunctival hemorrhage: risk factors and potential indicators. Clin Ophthalmol. 2013;7:1163-70.
  • Leibowitz HM. The red eye. N Engl J Med. 2000;343(5):345-51.

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

Call your doctor if the blood doesn't go away in 2 or 3 weeks, if you also have pain or vision problems, if you have more than one subconjunctival hemorrhage, or if the blood is anywhere inside the colored part of your eye (iris).

How do you treat a popped blood vessel in your eye?

Treatment. You may want to use eye drops, such as artificial tears, to soothe any scratchy feeling you may be experiencing. Beyond that, the blood will absorb within about 1 to 2 weeks, and you'll need no treatment.

What causes a sudden burst blood vessel in the eye?

The exact cause of subconjunctival hemorrhage is currently unknown. However, sudden increases in blood pressure from violent coughing, powerful sneezing, heavy lifting, or even intense laughing may generate enough force to cause a small blood vessel in your eye to burst.

What happens if you pop a blood vessel in your eye?

Usually, a burst blood vessel in the eye is harmless. In most cases, the mark on the eye will go away on its own with time, as the blood naturally disperses. The eye may be red for a while, but this should begin to fade over the next 1–2 weeks .