We commonly see patients who come in saying that their eyes are bleeding.

The patient is usually referring to the white part of their eye, which has turned bright red. The conjunctiva is the outermost layer of the eye and contains very fine blood vessels.  If one of these blood vessels breaks, then the blood spreads out underneath the conjunctiva. This is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage doesn't cause any eye pain or affect your vision in any way. Most of the time, a subconjunctival hemorrhage is asymptomatic.  It is only noticed when looking at the mirror or when someone else notices the redness of the eye.  There should not be any discharge or crusting of your lashes.  If any of these symptoms are present, then you may have another eye condition that may need treatment.  

What causes a subconjunctival hemorrhage?  The most common cause is a spontaneous rupture of a blood vessel.  Sometimes vigorous coughing, sneezing, or bearing down can...

YOUR EYES.......You only have two of them so treat them well and learn how to keep them safe from harm. Here is a list of five vital ways to prevent injuries to one of your most precious assets, your vision.

1. Wear Safety Glasses. Failure to wear protective eye wear is one of the main causes of job related injuries to the eye according to OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration). Well-made safety glasses are made from a polycarbonate material which can withstand the impact of a .22 caliber bullet. Safety glasses at work protect you from foreign bodies and chemical exposure to the eye area. Wearing protective eyewear for yard work, weed eating, and cutting wood keeps injury from high velocity foreign bodies to a minimum.
2. Wear Sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection. Doing so protects the thin skin around the eyes from sunburn, and also helps protect your ocular system. It has long been stated that excessive exposure to sunlight causes cataracts, so using ultraviolet...