A busted blood vessel in the eye, known as a subconjunctival hemorrhage, almost always heals on its own without treatment. The bright red patch looks alarming, but it causes no pain, no vision changes, and no lasting damage. Most cases clear up completely within two to three weeks. In the meantime, there are a few simple things you can do for comfort and a few signs worth watching for.
What You’re Actually Seeing
A tiny blood vessel has ruptured in the conjunctiva, the thin, clear tissue that covers the white of your eye and lines the inside of your eyelids. Blood pools beneath this tissue and produces a sharply defined red or crimson patch on the white part of your eye. The patch is flat or slightly raised and has clear edges, almost like a drop of red ink under cellophane.
Unlike pink eye or other infections, a subconjunctival hemorrhage produces no discharge, no light sensitivity, and no blurry vision. The only discomfort you might notice is mild itching or a slight scratchy feeling on the surface of the eye.
What Causes It
Often there’s no obvious trigger. You might wake up, look in the mirror, and notice the red patch for the first time. But several things can cause the tiny vessels in the conjunctiva to burst:
- Sudden physical strain: hard coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or heavy lifting
- Minor trauma: rubbing your eye too hard, getting bumped, or even wearing contact lenses
- Blood-thinning medications: aspirin, warfarin, and similar drugs make bleeding more likely and can cause the red patch to spread wider
- High blood pressure: elevated pressure in the blood vessels increases the chance of a rupture
How to Care for It at Home
There’s no way to speed up healing. The blood has to be reabsorbed naturally by your body, just like a bruise on your skin. But you can keep your eye comfortable while it clears.
If you feel any irritation or dryness, artificial tears (over-the-counter lubricating eye drops) can help. Avoid drops marketed as “redness relievers,” which work by constricting blood vessels and won’t address the trapped blood underneath the tissue. A cool compress held gently over the closed eye can also soothe mild discomfort in the first day or two.
A few things to avoid: don’t rub the affected eye, as this can irritate the area or even cause re-bleeding. If you take aspirin or another blood thinner for a medical reason, don’t stop taking it because of the eye. But do avoid adding unnecessary aspirin or ibuprofen during the healing period if you can.
What Healing Looks Like
The red patch follows a predictable pattern over the course of one to three weeks. It starts bright red or crimson, then darkens to a deeper red over the first few days. As your body breaks down the trapped blood, the color shifts to a yellow-green hue, similar to a fading bruise. This color change is completely normal and actually a sign that the area is healing. The patch may appear to spread slightly before it starts fading, which can be unsettling but is also part of the normal process.
Larger hemorrhages simply take longer to resolve. A small spot might fade in a week, while one that covers a bigger area of the white of the eye could take the full two to three weeks.
When It’s Worth Getting Checked
A straightforward subconjunctival hemorrhage doesn’t need medical attention. But a few situations call for a closer look:
- Vision changes: any blurriness, double vision, or partial loss of sight alongside the redness is not a simple broken vessel
- Pain: real pain (not mild scratchiness) in or around the eye suggests something else is going on
- Trauma: if the bleeding followed a direct hit to the eye, an eye doctor should rule out deeper injury, including bleeding inside the eye itself
- Recurrence: if you keep getting subconjunctival hemorrhages, it’s worth having your blood pressure checked and potentially getting blood work to screen for clotting disorders
Bleeding inside the eye, where blood collects in the colored part rather than on the white surface, is a different and more serious condition. That type of bleeding typically causes visible changes to your vision and requires prompt treatment. A subconjunctival hemorrhage, by contrast, stays on the surface and never affects sight.
Recurrent Bleeding and Blood Pressure
A single episode is rarely a sign of an underlying health problem. But repeated subconjunctival hemorrhages can be a clue that something systemic deserves attention. High blood pressure is the most common culprit, especially in adults over 50. Blood pressure should be checked in anyone with recurring episodes. If you’re on warfarin or a similar blood thinner, your clotting levels may need to be rechecked to make sure they’re in the target range.
In short: one busted blood vessel is a nuisance. Two or three in a short period is a reason to talk to your doctor about what might be driving it.