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We commonly see patients who come in saying that their eyes are bleeding.
The patient is usually referring to the white part of their eye, which has turned bright red. The conjunctiva is the outermost layer of the eye and contains very fine blood vessels. If one of these blood vessels breaks, then the blood spreads out underneath the conjunctiva. This is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage.
A subconjunctival hemorrhage doesn't cause any eye pain or affect your vision in any way. Most of the time, a subconjunctival hemorrhage is asymptomatic. It is only noticed when looking at the mirror or when someone else notices the redness of the eye. There should not be any discharge or crusting of your lashes. If any of these symptoms are present, then you may have another eye condition that may need treatment.
What causes a subconjunctival hemorrhage? The most common cause is a spontaneous rupture of a blood vessel. Sometimes vigorous coughing, sneezing, or bearing down can break a blood vessel. Eye trauma and eye surgery are other causes of subconjunctival hemorrhage. Aspirin and anticoagulant medication may make patients more susceptible to a subconjunctival hemorrhage, but there is usually no need to stop these medications.
There is no treatment needed for subconjunctival hemorrhage. Sometimes there may be mild irritation and artificial tears can be used. The redness usually increases in size in the first 24 hours and then will slowly get smaller and fade in color. It often takes one to two weeks for the subconjunctival hemorrhage to be absorbed. The larger the size of the hemorrhage, the longer it takes for it to fade.
Having a subconjunctival hemorrhage may be scary initially but it will get better in a couple of weeks without any treatment. However, redness in the eye can have other causes, and you should call your eye doctor, particularly if you have discharge from the eye.
Article contributed by Dr. Jane Pan
This blog provides general information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately licensed physician. The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ.
A common question asked during the eye exam is, “When is the puff coming?”
Patients are referring to air-puff or non-contact tonometry. Tonometry is the procedure used to measure eye pressure, and this is important for diagnosing and monitoring glaucoma.
In non-contact tonometry, a puff of air is used to measure the pressure inside the eye. The benefit of this test is there is no actual contact with the eye, but the air puff is sometimes very startling for patients. Some people hate that test and it isn’t the most accurate way to measure your eye pressure.
Some doctors don’t even use the air-puff test. Instead, they place a yellow drop that consists of a numbing medicine and then shine a blue light on the eye. This is done in front of the slit lamp and a small tip gently touches the eye to measure the eye pressure. This procedure is called Goldmann tonometry and is considered the gold standard for measuring eye pressure.
Another method for checking eye pressure is the Tonopen. This is a portable, hand-held instrument that is useful when patients can’t sit in front of the slit lamp to have their eye pressure checked. The Tonopen also requires a numbing drop to be placed in the eye, and the tip gently touches the eye.
A common question related to tonometry is “what is normal eye pressure?”
Normal eye pressure ranges from 10-21 mm Hg. Eye pressure doesn't have any relationship to blood pressure. Many times, people are surprised that their eye pressure is high, but they have normal blood pressure. In general, there is no diet or exercise that will significantly affect eye pressure. It is therefore important to have your eye pressure checked regularly because there are usually no symptoms of high eye pressure until it has affected your vision.
Article contributed by Dr. Jane Pan
This blog provides general information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately licensed physician. The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ.
