Bleeding in the eye

Bleeding in the eye (hyphaemia) is a condition where there is bleeding in the area (the anterior chamber) between the cornea (the white part) and the iris (the coloured part) of the eye. The blood may cover all of the iris leading to partial or total loss of vision. This is different from the bleeding into the white of the eye (subconjunctival haemorrhage).

Bleeding in the eye is often found in children and most cases are due to injuries sustained during play, sports activities or falls. In adults industrial accidents are a common cause.

Other causes are:

• Abnormal blood vessels on the iris.
• Infections of the eye (e.g. herpes virus).
• Bleeding disorders like haemophilia.
• Following placement of an artificial lens.
• Cancer of the eye.

Bleeding in the eye is an emergency. If you see any of the above symptoms, you should see your healthcare provider immediately.

You cannot always  prevent bleeding in your eye, but you can prevent injury to your eye (e.g. wearing protective glasses during work in a hazardous environment) and by treating underlying conditions, such as eye infections.

Self Care Tips

Medical treatment is required for eye bleeding. However, on the way to treatment:

• You can gently rest a soft dry cloth around the eye to absorb the fluids draining from the eye.
• Prevent further stress of trauma to your eyes.

Treatment Options

Your healthcare provider will ask a few questions, examine the eye for bleeding and check the pressure of the eyeball. If there is a history of trauma, they may request a test or scan to identify the underlying cause. After diagnosis and evaluation, your healthcare provider may choose one or more of the following treatments:

1. Steroid eye drops limit the inflammation and prevent scarring and/or dilating drops to help with the pain.
2. An eye patch to protect the affected eye and limit the amount of light entering it.
3. Recommend that you limit eye movements (no reading) and get bed rest with the head of the bed raised as high as possible.
4. Daily eye pressure checks.

If all of these measures do not work, your healthcare provider may recommend surgery to remove the blood.

Bleeding in the eyes can be very distressing and requires immediate medical care. Do not delay going to a healthcare provider when you experience the symptoms. Try to avoid injuries to your eyes by wearing safety goggles while doing industrial work or sports that may cause such injuries.