Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

You’ve got a blood spot on your eye. Don’t panic yet. It may just be a subconjunctival hemorrhage. That’s a complicated name for a rather minor condition. Subconjunctival hemorrhage is the term for a broken blood vessel that bleeds on the surface of your eye.

The clear membrane that lines the inside of your eyelid and covers the white of your eye is called the conjunctiva. It contains many tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that can break easily. When a break happens, blood can leak under the conjunctiva. The blood causes the white of your eye (sclera) to turn bright red.

If you have a subconjunctival hemorrhage, the blood is trapped in the conjunctiva, so it doesn’t move and can’t be wiped away. But since the blood isn’t on your cornea or the inside of your eye, your vision isn’t affected.

The red spots caused by subconjunctival hemorrhage can look scary. But most cases don’t cause any other symptoms or need treatment. They typically go away on their own within a few weeks.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

Living with atrial fibrillation?

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