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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A subconjunctival hemorrhage occurs when a tiny blood vessel breaks just underneath the clear surface of your eye (conjunctiva). You may not realize you have a subconjunctival hemorrhage until you look in the mirror and find the white part of your eye is bright red.
The conjunctiva can't absorb the blood quickly, so the blood is trapped under this transparent surface. A subconjunctival hemorrhage may look frightening and painful to you, but it's usually a harmless condition that disappears within 10 to 14 days.
Subconjunctival hemorrhage often occurs without any injury to your eye, or it may be the result of a strong sneeze or cough that caused a broken blood vessel. You don't need any specific treatment for a subconjunctival hemorrhage.
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- Crouch ER, et al. Ophthalmology. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/108404788-3/763978783/1481/594.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2467-5..50055-5--cesec20_3634. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Trauma: Evaluating the traumatized eye. In: Noble J, et al. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/108404788-3/763978783/959/1143.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..50178-3--cesec123_5625. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Fraunfelder FW. Ocular side effects from herbal medicines and nutritional supplements. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 2004;138(4):639-648.
