The conjunctiva is the clear, thin tissue that lines the inside of your eyelid and covers the white of your eye.
What is a subconjunctival hemorrhage?
A subconjunctival hemorrhage is a small collection of blood underneath the conjunctiva. The whole white part of your eye or just some of it will be bright red.
The blood comes from a small broken blood vessel on the surface of your eye
A subconjunctival hemorrhage doesn't affect your vision
A subconjunctival hemorrhage may look scary but is harmless unless whatever caused it also damaged other parts of your eye
It goes away on its own, usually within 2 weeks
Parts of the Eye
What causes a subconjunctival hemorrhage?
A subconjunctival hemorrhage sometimes just happens. More often it's caused by:
A minor eye injury
Straining, lifting, or pushing something
Throwing up, sneezing, or coughing very hard
What are the symptoms of a subconjunctival hemorrhage?
The only symptom is:
Your whole eye or part of it looks red
DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
You won't have any pain or any problem with your vision. If you do, it's a sign that something else may be wrong with your eye.
How can doctors tell if I have a subconjunctival hemorrhage?
Doctors examine your eye and check your vision. You don't need any tests unless you have other symptoms that suggest a serious injury. Such symptoms could be eye or face pain, trouble seeing, a swollen eye, or blood inside your eyeball.
How do doctors treat a subconjunctival hemorrhage?
Doctors don’t treat a subconjunctival hemorrhage because it goes away on its own.
