Blood in eyes: Anyone experienced a broken blood... - PMRGCAuk

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Blood in eyes

Alebeau profile image
21 Replies

Anyone experienced a broken blood vessel in their eye? Last night I rubbed an itch in my eye and now it looks terrible, full of blood. The optometrist told me it will takes about 3 weeks to heal. Is that prednisone at work weakening the blood vessels in my eyes?

If so be careful how hard you rub an itch next time.

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Alebeau profile image
Alebeau
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21 Replies
piglette profile image
piglette

It happened to me over Halloween, pretty well the whole eye. I used to get quite a shock every time I looked in the mirror. As you say it goes away.

Alebeau profile image
Alebeau in reply topiglette

Yes, it is a shocker and very uncomfortable and a little sore as well.

Thanks for sharing.

Lately I cut so easily (prednisone) I was wondering if my eyes are now also susceptible to damage from rubbing too hard for an itch.

SnazzyD profile image
SnazzyD

Pred does weaken the blood vessels there but it’s ok, if a little disconcerting. I got lots of these haemorrhages but they were stopped by using regular watery eye drops in the day and gooier ones at night. They were prescribed by the optician after finding my test film was non existent. As my dosage dropped so did the problem.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

Happened almost exactly the same to me a few months ago - I rubbed my eye and there was a mild sharp feeling but I thought nothing about it until I went to the loo and noticed it while washing my hands! I'm also on anticoagulant therapy but it had never happened before. I did ring the GP because of that and she spoke to an eye doc at the hospital but he said it was fine, just keep on with the anticoag. The pred may contribute by making capillaries a bit more delicate but it had never happened to me before in nearly 12 years of pred - whereas my husband got them lots, never been on pred for more than a few days!! Dry eyes probably doesn't help either.

I suppose it was about 3 weeks before it disappeared altogether. No sign of it now. Summer means sunglasses here - and in winter because of snow!!! Very handy :)

Exflex profile image
Exflex in reply toPMRpro

Well god help me! I’m on Pred (7mg), Aspirin and anticoagulants. Must try not to rub my eyes!

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer

Quite common, especially in higher doses with GCA….first time it happened to me was very disconcerting…only about 3 weeks in, and in only good eye!

Happened a couple more times, but generally nothing to worry about, just looks scary.

ignatz profile image
ignatz in reply toDorsetLady

Are you a pirate? ;)

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply toignatz

Actually I’m a Viking (Goddess of course), some would say not too dissimilar to a pirate.

But I’ve certainly felt like one in the past - with patch on eye and dodgy knee requiring a crutch!

Oh aye m’hearties, shiver me timbers…….

123-go profile image
123-go in reply toDorsetLady

No parrot? Squawk!!

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to123-go

Don’t want Avian flu or Psittacosis as well!…..….might be a dead parrot, or worse still, a dead Viking.😳

123-go profile image
123-go in reply toDorsetLady

😂😂🥴

herdysheep profile image
herdysheep

thanks for the chuckle and well done for spelling 'sittycosis'😂

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS

If you use artificial tears the bloody appearance should clear up much more quickly. I find this so. I've also learned that the feeling of irritation is at least sometimes caused by the blood vessel breaking, so you may not have caused the damage by rubbing your eye.

Myosotis profile image
Myosotis

I've had this happen a number of times, both before and after starting on Pred. I don't think Pred has made any difference. My doctor told me not to worry about it.

Alebeau profile image
Alebeau in reply toMyosotis

Thanks, my optometrist said the same. Sure is ugly looking.

Mellow-Yellow profile image
Mellow-Yellow

Yes it’s happened to me three times in the 5 years,and it certainly looks dramatic! On each occasion I first saw it in the mirror and it took me by surprise..Once after swimming,.luckily mine haven’t been really painful,not like some other side effects!!

Orpheus82 profile image
Orpheus82

It’s a subconjunctival haemorrhage. They’re quite common and also harmless. They just look very dramatic but the blood will reabsorb but slowly as it is effectively trapped. It’s doubtful that pred increases the likelihood of one as they can occur just through sneezing or violent coughing.

Alebeau profile image
Alebeau in reply toOrpheus82

Very informative, thanks.

MaritimeMags profile image
MaritimeMags

Dear Alebeau.On Pred over 3 years now with PMR. Last year, just before the first lockdown, I went into a very crowded supermarket in the UK where everyone was in panic mode. People were just too close with no masks at all at the time so the fear of possibly catching Covid was overwhelming.

I came home really stressed and noticed my bloody eye.

I got my optician to check this out and she said it was quite a normal happening, particularly after a stressful situation - the bloody eye was not necessarily caused by PMR or the Pred.

I was so scared when it happened though.

Alebeau profile image
Alebeau in reply toMaritimeMags

Thank-you for relating your story. It looks plain awful but harmless except for the discomfort and minor pain the first couple of days. Wearing a patch to bed at night just in case I might try to scratch it again in my sleep.

Megams profile image
Megams

~By rubbing/itching your eye/s is a sure way to introduce an infection - not so good if you are sinus prone either.Have dry eyes which treat with Hylo-Forte during day & Poly Visc by night.

Have unopened Chlorsig 1% Eye Ointment in fridge should I develop infection.

Dr always happy to prx this for emergency purposes especially during lockdown which Auckland NZ is in presently ~

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