Going home after your visit
Subconjunctival haemorrhage — advice for you
A red patch on the white of the eye: why it happens and how to look after it.
You have a subconjunctival haemorrhage — a small blood vessel on the white of the eye has burst, leaving a bright red patch. It can look alarming, but it is harmless and painless. It clears on its own over 1–2 weeks, just like a bruise.
Your care details
To be completed by the team before you leave.
this Emergency Department your nearest A&E other:
none needed
Come back to A&E or an eye service — or call 111 — if any of these happen
A simple subconjunctival haemorrhage causes none of these, so they need checking.
- Pain in the eye
- Any change in your vision
- Sensitivity to light (light hurts the eye)
- It followed an injury, especially with blurred vision
- Bleeding elsewhere too — gums, nose, or easy bruising
- The red patch has not cleared after 2 weeks
CALL 999 If the eye was hit hard or anything went into it, get it checked the same day. If you wear contact lenses, take them out and have the eye checked before wearing them again.
What to expect
As it heals, like a bruise, you may see:
A bright red patchIt looking worse before betterFading to yellow then clearMild grittiness
No treatment is needed, and your vision is not affected.
Caring for it
- You do not need any treatment — it will clear on its own.
- Use lubricating (artificial tear) drops if the eye feels gritty.
- If you take blood-thinning medicine, keep taking it as normal.
- If you get these often, see your GP to check your blood pressure.
Where to get help
999
Life-threatening emergency, or a red-flag symptom above
111
Urgent but not life-threatening, or you're not sure — call or visit 111.nhs.uk, 24/7
Your team
Use the department phone in Your care details above