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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. A burst blood vessel is recognised from a photo and your story, and a doctor can check for the rare causes by video; an eye injury needs an examination in person.
- What it is: a small bleed under the clear layer that covers the white of the eye. It looks alarming, but it is usually painless and does not affect your sight.
- Common causes: coughing, sneezing, straining, vomiting, rubbing the eye, contact lenses, high blood pressure and blood thinners; nearly half have no clear cause.
- How long it lasts: it usually clears within 1 to 2 weeks, turning from bright red to darker red and then yellow, like a bruise.
- Emergency: call 112 or go to an emergency department if it follows a blow to the eye with pain or a change in your sight, or something hit the eye at high speed.
Do not book a video appointment if the red patch appeared after something hit your eye at high speed or pierced it, if your sight has changed after an injury, if you cannot move your eye or keep it open, or if your eye is painful and it hurts to look at light. Call 112 or go to an emergency department.
Can an online doctor help with a burst blood vessel in the eye?
Yes. A burst blood vessel has a typical look, a sharp, bright red patch on the white of the eye with normal vision and little or no pain, and a doctor can usually recognise it from a photo and your story. The doctor checks for an injury, reviews blood thinners, and tells you whether you need a blood pressure check or blood tests. Bleeding after an injury, with pain or a change in vision, needs an eye examination in person.
How an online consultation helps with a burst blood vessel
- A bleed, or another red eye?: Conjunctivitis, inflammation inside the eye and an injury can also make the eye red, and need different care.
- The cause looked for: A coughing or vomiting bout, contact lenses, blood pressure, blood thinners or bleeding problems.
- Blood thinners handled safely: Whether your INR needs checking, and why you should not stop a blood thinner on your own.
- Tests only when needed: A blood pressure check for most people, and blood tests if bleeds keep coming back.
What the doctor checks in an online consultation
The doctor asks about the warning signs first, then about what may have caused the bleed. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: a blow to the eye or the head, pain, light sensitivity, a change in your sight, or blood in front of the coloured part of the eye.
- The red patch: when you noticed it, one eye or both, and whether it is getting bigger.
- What came before: coughing, sneezing, vomiting, straining, heavy lifting, rubbing the eye, or contact lenses.
- Bleeding elsewhere: nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or bruising you cannot explain.
- Your medicines: aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin or other blood thinners, and your latest INR if you take warfarin.
- Your health: high blood pressure, diabetes, a blood condition, recent eye surgery, and your last blood pressure check.
Before the call, take a photo of the eye in daylight, and have your blood pressure reading to hand if you have a monitor.
What is a burst blood vessel in the eye?
It is a small bleed under the conjunctiva, the thin, clear layer that covers the white of the eye. A tiny blood vessel breaks and blood spreads under the clear layer, leaving a sharp, bright red patch. The blood stays trapped under the clear layer until the body absorbs it, like a bruise. It usually causes no symptoms, so you may only notice it in a mirror.
- a bright red patch with sharp edges on the white of the eye
- usually no pain, though some people feel a slight pop, grittiness or a mild ache
- normal vision
- no discharge
It is common: it accounts for about 3% of eye consultations, and up to 10% of eye problems in clinics for adults over 65. It is most common between the ages of 60 and 69.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Condition | What points to it | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Burst blood vessel | A sharp, bright red patch, no pain or only mild irritation, normal vision | Nothing; it clears by itself |
| Conjunctivitis | Pink or red all over, gritty, sticky or watery | Hygiene; treatment if needed |
| Uveitis or keratitis | Pain, light sensitivity and blurred vision | An urgent eye examination |
| An eye injury | Redness after a blow, with pain, blurred vision or blood in front of the coloured part | Call 112 or go to an emergency department |
Pain, sensitivity to light or a loss of vision point away from a simple burst blood vessel. The red eye guide covers the other causes.
What causes a burst blood vessel in the eye?
Usually a sudden rise in pressure in the small veins, or a minor knock. Nearly half of spontaneous bleeds have no clear cause. The known causes are:
- Pressure surges: coughing, sneezing, vomiting, straining, constipation, blowing your nose hard, or heavy lifting.
- The eye itself: rubbing it hard, contact lenses, something in the eye, a minor injury, eye surgery or injections into the eye.
- Health conditions: high blood pressure, diabetes, and, rarely, a blood clotting problem.
- Medicines: aspirin, clopidogrel and other medicines that thin the blood, including warfarin and heparin.
Does high blood pressure cause burst blood vessels in the eye?
It can. High blood pressure is the most consistently found risk factor for spontaneous bleeds, so if your blood pressure has not been checked recently, get it checked.
Why do I have a bloodshot eye after vomiting or coughing?
Hard vomiting, coughing, sneezing or straining briefly raises the pressure in the small veins of the eye, and one can break. The red patch is harmless and fades on its own. If you are vomiting a lot, the nausea and vomiting page explains what helps.
Blood thinners
Aspirin, clopidogrel and anticoagulants such as warfarin make these bleeds more likely, even when your INR is in the right range. A single bleed is not usually a reason to stop the medicine: blood thinners are generally continued, and any change is made with your doctor or cardiologist. If you take warfarin, your INR may need checking.
How long does a burst blood vessel in the eye take to heal?
Usually 1 to 2 weeks. It can look worse at first, then fades through darker red to yellow and green, like a bruise on the skin. Large bleeds, and bleeds in people taking blood thinners, can take longer.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| When | What it looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The first days | Bright red; it can look worse at first | Nothing, unless there was an injury |
| Over the next week or so | Darker red | Lubricating drops if the eye feels gritty |
| Within 1 to 2 weeks | Yellow or green, then gone | Nothing |
| After 3 weeks | Still red | See a doctor to look for another cause |
How can you heal a burst blood vessel in the eye faster?
You cannot speed it up: the blood has to be absorbed. Lubricating drops ease grittiness but do not make it clear faster. Avoid rubbing the eye and straining while it heals, and carry on with your normal activities.
Is a blood clot in the eye dangerous?
What looks like a clot on the white of the eye is usually this harmless bleed under its surface, which stays in place and is absorbed. It is different from blood inside the eye, in front of the coloured part, which follows an injury and needs emergency care.
When should you worry about a burst blood vessel in the eye?
A single, painless bleed with normal vision is not a worry. See a doctor if:
- it followed an injury, such as a ball hitting the eye or something getting in it
- your eye hurts, light hurts it, or your vision has changed
- it is in both eyes, or keeps coming back
- you have unexplained bleeding or bruising elsewhere
- you have a blood condition, such as leukaemia or lymphoma, or are having chemotherapy
- you take warfarin, or another blood thinner and have bleeding elsewhere
- it is still there after 3 weeks
- you have not had your blood pressure checked recently
What might the doctor recommend for a burst blood vessel in the eye?
Most people need reassurance and a blood pressure check. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| A painless red patch after coughing, sneezing or straining | Reassurance; it clears in 1 to 2 weeks | Yes | Not usually needed |
| A first bleed, no recent blood pressure check | A blood pressure check | Yes | For the check |
| A bleed while taking warfarin | An INR check; do not stop the medicine on your own | Yes, to advise | For the blood test |
| Bleeds that keep coming back, or in both eyes | Blood pressure and blood tests | Partly | For the tests |
| A bleed with bruising or bleeding elsewhere | Blood tests promptly | Partly | Promptly, for the tests |
| A red patch after an injury, with pain or a change in vision | Emergency eye examination | No | Call 112 or go to an emergency department |
A red patch on your eye and not sure it is harmless? A doctor can check it on camera in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for a burst blood vessel in the eye
What you can do yourself
- Leave it to heal: it usually clears within 1 to 2 weeks.
- Use lubricating drops if the eye feels gritty.
- Do not rub the eye, and avoid straining and heavy lifting while it heals.
- Leave contact lenses out while the eye feels irritated, and keep lenses and the case clean.
- Have your blood pressure checked if it has not been checked recently.
- Keep taking your blood thinner unless a doctor tells you otherwise.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. A simple burst blood vessel needs no prescription medicine: steroid and antibiotic drops do not help an uncomplicated bleed. If your blood pressure is high, the doctor may discuss treatment and follow-up, and if you take a blood thinner, any change is agreed with the doctor who prescribes it. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Antibiotic or steroid eye drops. Stopping a blood thinner on your own. Rubbing the eye or straining while it heals.
Special situations
Pregnancy
Vomiting in early pregnancy and straining can cause a burst blood vessel. It is harmless, but mention it to your midwife or doctor, who may check your blood pressure. The morning sickness page covers what helps with sickness.
After eye surgery or injections
Bleeds can follow eye operations and injections into the eye, and usually fade in the same way. Contact the team that treated you if the eye hurts or your vision changes.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a risk factor for these bleeds. Keep up your diabetic eye screening, and mention the bleed at your next check.
A burst blood vessel while travelling in Europe
A red patch after a coughing fit, a bout of sickness or a long day of travel is usually harmless and can wait until you are home. An eye injury with pain or a change in vision means 112 wherever you are.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When a burst blood vessel in the eye is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: recognising a burst blood vessel, looking for its cause, advice on blood thinners and blood pressure, and deciding whether you need tests.
In-person care: a bleed after an injury, a red eye with pain, light sensitivity or a change in vision, blood pressure checks and blood tests, and bleeds that keep coming back.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- a red eye after something hit it at high speed, or pierced it
- any change in your sight after an injury to the eye
- being unable to move your eye or keep it open after an injury
- blood visible in front of the coloured part of the eye
- a red eye that hurts to look at light, or with any change in your sight
Get medical advice the same day for:
- a red patch after a minor knock to the eye
- a red eye that is very painful
- a red patch with bleeding or bruising elsewhere that you cannot explain
- a bleed while taking warfarin or another anticoagulant, with bleeding anywhere else
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your eye: show the red patch on camera, say when you noticed it and what came before it, and mention blood thinners and your blood pressure.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s a burst blood vessel? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Red eye can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about a burst blood vessel in the eye
What causes a burst blood vessel in the eye?
Usually a sudden rise in pressure in the small veins from coughing, sneezing, vomiting or straining, or rubbing the eye, contact lenses or a minor knock. High blood pressure, diabetes and blood thinners make it more likely. Nearly half have no clear cause.
What are the symptoms of a burst blood vessel in the eye?
A burst blood vessel in the eye shows as a flat, bright red patch with sharp edges on the white of the eye, often noticed in the mirror or by someone else, with normal vision, no discharge and at most a mild scratchy feeling or a sense of fullness; over 1 to 2 weeks it turns dark red, then yellow-brown, and fades. Pain, blurred vision, light sensitivity, discharge, or redness spreading all over the eye point to something else and need an examination.
Is a burst blood vessel in the eye serious?
Usually not. It looks alarming but is a harmless bleed under the clear surface of the eye, with normal vision and little or no pain. It needs a doctor if it followed an injury, hurts, affects your sight or keeps coming back.
How long does a burst blood vessel in the eye take to heal?
Usually 1 to 2 weeks. It can look worse at first, then fades through darker red to yellow, like a bruise. Large bleeds and bleeds in people on blood thinners can take longer. See a doctor if it is still there after 3 weeks.
How can I heal a burst blood vessel in my eye fast at home?
It cannot be sped up: the blood has to be absorbed. Lubricating drops ease grittiness but do not make it clear faster. Avoid rubbing the eye and straining while it heals.
Does high blood pressure cause burst blood vessels in the eye?
It can. High blood pressure is the most consistently found risk factor for spontaneous bleeds, so have your blood pressure checked if it has not been checked recently.
How can I prevent a burst blood vessel in the eye?
Most cannot be prevented, because nearly half have no clear cause, but the odds fall if you do not rub the eyes, handle contact lenses gently and keep them clean, treat constipation and a persistent cough so you strain less, control high blood pressure, keep diabetes managed, take blood thinners exactly as prescribed with the blood checks that go with them, and wear eye protection for sport and DIY. A burst blood vessel that keeps returning needs blood pressure and clotting checked.
Why do I have a bloodshot eye after vomiting?
Hard vomiting raises the pressure in the small veins of the eye, and one can break into a burst blood vessel, leaving a bright red patch. It is harmless and fades within 1 to 2 weeks.
Is a blood clot in the eye dangerous?
What looks like a clot on the white of the eye is usually a harmless bleed under its surface that is absorbed over 1 to 2 weeks. Blood inside the eye after an injury, or sudden loss of vision, is an emergency.
When should I worry about a burst blood vessel in my eye?
See a doctor about a burst blood vessel if it followed an injury, hurts, affects your vision, is in both eyes, keeps coming back, comes with bleeding or bruising elsewhere, or lasts more than 3 weeks, or if you take warfarin.
Should I stop my blood thinner?
No, not on your own. Blood thinners are generally continued after a single bleed, and any change is made with your doctor. If you take warfarin, your INR may need checking.
Can I wear contact lenses with a burst blood vessel in my eye?
Leave them out while the eye with the burst blood vessel feels irritated, and keep the lenses and case clean, because contact lens wear is one of the causes. Once the eye is comfortable, most people can go back to them.
Can an online doctor help with a burst blood vessel in the eye?
Yes. A doctor can usually recognise it from a photo and your story, look for the cause, advise on blood pressure and blood thinners, and tell you if you need tests or an examination in person.
- Sub-conjunctival haemorrhage, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, ophthalmology patient leaflet, April 2025.
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage, Zeppieri M, Noohani T. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf, updated 15 September 2025.
- Diagnosis and management of red eye in primary care, Cronau H, Kankanala RR, Mauger T. American Family Physician, 2010.
- Red eye, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 27 October 2025.
- Eye injuries, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 12 March 2026.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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