A subconjunctival hemorrhage is when a small blood vessel tears beneath the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the clear surface of your eye.

Bleeding in your eye is often caused by an injury to the eye. The conjunctiva cannot absorb blood quickly, so blood gets trapped beneath it.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage usually isn’t very obvious. The only way to know if you have one is by looking in a mirror or seeing an ophthalmologist.

You’ll notice that the white of your eye has a red patch or is entirely red. Keep reading to learn more about subconjunctival hemorrhage.

Common Causes of Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

A subconjunctival hemorrhage is common and can occur due to any number of reasons:

  • Injury from an object rubbing against or hitting the eye
  • Rubbing your eyes too hard
  • Placing or removing contact lenses
  • Administration of ocular anesthesia like retrobulbar anesthetic injection
  • Post-surgery bleeding
  • Head injury
  • Ruptured globe
  • Fractured orbit bones can cause bleeding to spread into the conjunctiva.

How Can You Prevent a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage?

It may not be entirely possible to prevent a subconjunctival hemorrhage. Sometimes their causes are not known.

But, there are several measures you can take to lower your risk:

  • Flush foreign objects out of your eye with clean water instead of poking your eye.
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes vigorously.
  • Wear protective eyewear during any activity that could injure your eyes.

Are There Symptoms of a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage?

There are signs of a subconjunctival hemorrhage, although they can be subtle. The most obvious sign is a red patch covering all or some of the white part of your eye. Sometimes this red patch can cause red or pink tears, but this is rare.

Other symptoms include a heavy or full feeling and sensitivity to touch in the eye. You may also experience some mild irritation.

When to See an Ophthalmologist

For the most part, a subconjunctival hemorrhage is no cause for alarm. It should not interfere with your vision or cause any damage to your eye.

As such, you don’t need treatment for one. The hemorrhage should heal itself within two weeks.

But if you spot blood in your eyes following a head injury, the bleeding might be from your brain. Blood in your eye after a head injury could be a much more severe problem.

It is critical to have it checked by your eye doctor immediately. Other instances when it’s crucial to see an ophthalmologist include:

  • Vision changes like difficulty seeing, blurry vision, or double vision
  • Pain or loss of vision accompanied by a hemorrhage.
  • The subconjunctival hemorrhage doesn’t clear up after two weeks.
  • Frequent or recurring hemorrhages
  • You’ve noticed other unusual bruising or bleeding on your body.
  • If you suspect the injury was from objects such as bits of flying metal
  • History of high blood pressure or bleeding disorder

It may be startling when you have blood in your eye. But how it looks is probably the worst part about it.

That said, it’s essential to pay attention to unusual symptoms of a blood vessel injury in your eye. You want to ensure a more severe underlying condition doesn’t go undetected.

Curious about your subconjunctival hemorrhage, or do you have any other vision issues? Schedule an appointment at Joshi Eye Institute in Boynton Beach, FL, to ensure your eyes are healthy.