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"What's that red spot on my eye?"
One of the most common causes for concern among our patients is a red spot that appears suddenly on the white part of the eye. It usually is completely painless, and isn't even noticed until a friend or family member asks "what's wrong with your eye?"
In many cases this turns out to be a harmless condition called "subconjunctival hemorrhage". The term is a mouthful, but refers simply to a breakage of the tiny blood vessels beneath the conjunctiva, the transparent membrane that covers the white part of your eye. How does it happen? As these small blood vessels are quite fragile, they may break in response to coughing, sneezing, or lifting a heavy object. In most cases though, there is absolutely no reason identified.
Some of our patients on blood thinners may notice these more frequently. They never result in direct harm to your eye or your vision, and usually go away within a few days. Larger ones that cover 1/2 to 3/4 of the eye may take a couple weeks to resolve. We usually recommend warm compresses to speed up resolution (and maybe some dark glasses so you don't have to keep answering questions!).
As always, if you notice any changes to your eyes or your vision, it's best to give us a call so one of our doctors can make sure everything's ok. Remember, Alberta Health now covers most visits related to eye emergencies, injuries and infections, sudden changes in vision or appearance to the eyes. | 
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