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Blood shot eye

Elli86 profile image
22 Replies

Hi guys.

Woke up this morning with a blood shot right eye. Fairly bad but not too the point of covering the whole eye. Probably 25%. Been reading it can happen when taking anti coags, which I am. Just wanted to double check with you guys if anyone’s had it before and if it is, as they say, fairly normal?

Thanks 👍

P.s no trauma too the eye that I can think of and no excessive rubbing etc

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Elli86 profile image
Elli86
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22 Replies
Buffafly profile image
Buffafly

Never mess with eyes - have it checked out.

barneyfrances profile image
barneyfrances

I have had 3 blood shot eye instances over the past 20 odd years. The first time my GP confirmed it was just blood vessels and it would go away on its' own, which it did do. And this was long before I was diagnosed with AF. But it is best to get it checked out with an optician or your GP to be on the safe side.

pusillanimous profile image
pusillanimous in reply tobarneyfrances

I too had the same years before anticoagulants, and just one since. It's a common occurrence, even the queen was photographed with one a a couple of years ago !

I am on Warfarin and have been so for nearly 12 years. In that time I have had two eye cataract surgeries, the most recent 2 weeks ago. I have had nothing like you have reported. all I did recently pre op was to ensure thjat my INR was in range - clocked at 2.6 but I carried on with my doses as normal before and after surgery.

Funnily enough Elli86, just before I started taking an anti-coagulant (apixaban), I had one of these random bleeds into my eye. So they do happen with or without medications or damage, though I believe it can be slightly more common when you do take an anti-coagulant. I think the context is probably how often it happens. One bleed may not be significant, or dangerous, but if this, or any other kind of bleeding seems to be happening more often, then it's definitely time to seek some professional medical advice and guidance. Also if you remain worried about it, then why not get some help and set your mind at rest?

Bloomin ‘eck Elli, you’re keeping us busy today! 😉

I take Apixaban and it’s happened to me twice in around 7 years. The first time happened at the time we had a support group meeting so I was lucky to get direct medical advice immediately. Interestingly, it’s apparently quite common and can be caused by something as simple as a violent sneeze which damages one of the hundreds of blood vessels within the eye. It’s obviously sensible to get it checked but in the majority of cases, the eye gradually returns to normal but it can take up to a week…..

bantam12 profile image
bantam12

I had quite a few eye bleeds well before I was on Apixaban and my sister gets awful ones but she's not on and never has been on anticoagulants.

doodle68 profile image
doodle68

Hi Elli86 :-) I had a really awful looking blood shot eye when I first started taking Apixaban , it didn't hurt at all and went away quite quickly.

Shiney1959 profile image
Shiney1959

I had the same a few weeks ago, it looked awful. Sent a picture to my GP who said not to worry as would be gone in the next week or two, which it was. If it is worrying you, worth a call to your GP

rothwell profile image
rothwell

Had this three or four times over the past 7 years....since I started on Apixaban. It always goes away.

Desanthony profile image
Desanthony

Always check this with your optician and or GP as soon as posdible.

Nick1957 profile image
Nick1957

My wife has had this problem on a couple of occasions and it's cleared up on its own. If in doubt pop into an opticians and get it checked out. (I use to be a poet) They've seen all kinds of eye problems.

I had a subconjuntival haemorrhage around three years ago, two days after commencing dabigatran- yes, anticoagulants can cause them. Mine took about three weeks to clear up. You should have the eye checked by an opthalmologist today to make sure all is well. Also discuss with GP.

Mcopt profile image
Mcopt

Hi difficult to diagnose without seeing it but providing there is no pain ,discharge sensitivity to light or visual disturbances and only the white of the eye is affected ie no redness going across the coloured part then it is likely to be a subconjunctival haemorrhage which should resolve in 5 or 6 days without problem. Do check the vision in each eye individually. These can be common on anticoagulants and always look dramatic I see a lot in practice as an optometrist but please if in any doubt let a professional have a look. If it happens regularly then speak to your GP regarding your medication BP etc. All the best.

Fullofheart profile image
Fullofheart

Get to optician is my advice. Had a Haemorrhage behind the eye myself this week. Prob side effects of meds (edoxaban) but can also be sign of Glaucoma. That's a different thing to bloodshot eye which can have many causes, as others have said. As others have said also though, always worth checking out.

Opticians ( in my experience) are thorough and cautious so they will refer on if they need to.

Jetcat profile image
Jetcat

Chances are it’s nothing to worry about. Iv had a couple of these over the years even when not on A/Cs and always had them checked out mainly because Iv got one eye👁.!!!!! I’d get it checked just to be safe Elli. The opticians checked my last one out and all was good.

P S….. if my false eye ever becomes bloodshot then I’ll definitely worry.?😂

Best wishes. Ron.

Barb1 profile image
Barb1

Yes lots of times. Scary looking but nothing to worry about if doesn't affect sight.

Elli86 profile image
Elli86

Thanks for all responses guys. Wasn’t particularly worried about it just wanted to check with you guys to see if it was fairly normal when taking anti-coags.

Thanks again for responses. Got more pressing issues to worry about now unfortunately 😫 the joys of AF!!!

PICCASO profile image
PICCASO in reply toElli86

I had this 4 weeks after taking warfarin , whole eye was blooded went away on its own , a year later at an eye test was told it was a bleed on the optic nerve , had to attend hospital for eye check for 2 years as they thought it was glaucoma, get it checked in case , now gotta go hospital again for a scan on same eye , as eye test shows a mole behind the same eye I had the bleed on

falah12345 profile image
falah12345

Yes I had it 2 ys ago while on anticoagulant i had to see the go and ophthalmologist i didn’t need any treatment for it.

Visigoth profile image
Visigoth

I had bleeds in the eye occasionally over the years but had a bad one covering 100% of the eye shortly after starting Apixaban. Checked with optician, no problem, just looked horrendous!

RoyMacDonald profile image
RoyMacDonald

Had a bloodshot eye occasionally long before I was put on Apixaban. No difference for me.All the best.

Roy

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