Bloodshot eyes can be surprising and even alarming to patients. A lot of us notice sometimes that our eye gets red, bloodshot and some of us even say: "my eye is bleeding". What does it mean and where does it come from?
If you have repetitive events of subconjunctival hemorrhage it is advisable to be seen by either your general physician or an ophthalmologist. If have any questions or would like reassurance on your condition please call Doctor & Associates at 203-227-4113 with any questions.Subconjunctival hemorrhage occurs most often in elderly persons with diabetes or hypertension but commonly no cause can be found. A predisposing cause appears to be events that produce a sudden rise in venous pressure, such coughing, straining, lifting, sneezing or vomiting. There is no treatment for this condition, which is entirely innocuous, other than reassurance.
Occasionally a subconjunctival hemorrhage is part of a general bleeding disorder but it must be emphasized that such an event is rare. If you have no other symptoms but bloodshot eye it most likely means that you have a subconjunctival hemorrhage. Subconjunctival hemorrhage is caused by a ruptured conjunctival blood vessel. It usually produces an irregular red patch because of pooling of blood under the conjunctiva. Its appearance is alarming because it is accentuated by the white of the sclera. Invariably, a collection of blood, like any other bruise under the skin, spreads and seems to enlarge as the blood is disseminated. Eventually the blood pigment breaks down to its component parts until it is absorbed. This process can take anywhere from 7 days to 3 weeks, depending on the size of the hemorrhage.
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