Throwing up can cause a burst blood vessel in your eye. While the sight of a bright red patch on the white of your eye can be alarming, this condition is generally harmless and usually resolves on its own. It typically does not cause pain or affect your vision.
Understanding a Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
A “popped blood vessel in the eye” is medically termed a subconjunctival hemorrhage. This occurs when a tiny blood vessel ruptures just beneath the conjunctiva, the clear membrane covering the white part of your eye. The conjunctiva contains numerous small, fragile blood vessels that can break easily.
When these vessels break, blood leaks out and becomes trapped between the conjunctiva and the sclera. Since the conjunctiva cannot absorb blood quickly, the blood pools, creating a bright red patch on the eye’s surface. While dramatic in appearance, a subconjunctival hemorrhage typically causes no discharge from the eye. You might experience a mild scratchy feeling on the eye’s surface, but often, people only notice it when they look in a mirror.
The Role of Pressure and Other Causes
Vomiting can lead to a subconjunctival hemorrhage due to a sudden increase in pressure within the veins of the head and chest. When you vomit, forceful contractions of your abdominal and chest muscles temporarily raise venous pressure. This rapid spike can cause delicate capillaries, or tiny blood vessels, in the eye to rupture.
This sudden pressure increase is not exclusive to vomiting. Other common actions that can similarly cause a subconjunctival hemorrhage include vigorous coughing or sneezing, straining during bowel movements, or even heavy lifting. Even rubbing your eyes too hard can sometimes lead to a broken blood vessel. In some instances, the exact cause of a subconjunctival hemorrhage may not be immediately clear, but activities that briefly elevate pressure in the head are frequent culprits.
When to Seek Care and What to Expect
While a subconjunctival hemorrhage typically resolves without intervention, medical attention is advisable in specific situations. Seek care if the hemorrhage is accompanied by pain, changes in your vision, or any discharge from the eye. A history of recent eye trauma or frequent recurrence without an obvious cause also warrants evaluation. Seeing blood over the black part of your eye, the pupil, also indicates a need for immediate medical consultation.
The recovery process for a subconjunctival hemorrhage is similar to that of a bruise on the skin. The blood is gradually reabsorbed, causing the bright red patch to fade over time. The color may change from red to brown, then to purple, and finally to yellow as it resolves. Most subconjunctival hemorrhages disappear completely within one to two weeks; larger spots might take up to two to three weeks.
No specific treatment is usually required. Avoid rubbing the affected eye, as this can slow healing. If irritation occurs, artificial tears may provide some relief.