Subconjunctival haemorrhage (burst blood vessel in the eye)

Symptoms of subconjunctival haemorrhage

The most obvious symptom is the distinctive red patch of blood on the white part of the eye. This can look quite alarming and may be more extensive if you take medication like aspirin or warfarin that affect the blood’s ability to clot, but it’s nothing to worry about.

Other than that, people won’t tend to experience any other subconjunctival haemorrhage symptoms. You won’t feel any pain and it won’t affect your vision. Some people may have a feeling of fullness in the eye or gritty sensation.

Is subconjunctival haemorrhage a symptom of COVID‑19?

A subconjunctival haemorrhage is not currently recognised as a symptom of COVID‑19 by the World Health Organisation and therefore its presence alone is extremely unlikely to be an indication of the virus. However, since subconjunctival haemorrhages can be caused by things like straining, coughing or sneezing — it’s possible that you could experience a burst blood vessel as a result of these common viral symptoms after having recently suffered from a cold, the flu or coronavirus.

Diagnosing subconjunctival haemorrhage

In cases where a subconjunctival haemorrhage has occurred spontaneously, diagnosis is quite straightforward, sometimes with just the eye of an experienced doctor.

However, if there is any history of eye surgery, trauma to the eye or head, or perhaps an environment where something could have got into the eye, then a more extensive examination is required.

How long does a burst blood vessel in the eye last?

Similar to a bruise on your skin, a subconjunctival haemorrhage will gradually get lighter and fade away after a couple of weeks. It can take anywhere between a week to three weeks to disappear altogether.