Medical Term for Broken Blood Vessel in the Eye
The medical term for a broken blood vessel in the eye depends on the specific location: subconjunctival hemorrhage for bleeding under the conjunctiva (the most common "broken blood vessel" people notice), vitreous hemorrhage for bleeding into the vitreous cavity, or intraretinal hemorrhages for bleeding within the retinal layers.
Location-Specific Terminology
Superficial Eye Bleeding
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage refers to bleeding beneath the conjunctiva (the clear membrane covering the white of the eye), which appears as a bright red patch on the sclera and is typically benign and self-limiting 1
Intraocular Bleeding
- Vitreous hemorrhage occurs when blood enters the vitreous cavity (the gel-filled space inside the eye), often causing sudden vision loss, floaters, or a "red haze" 1, 2
- Intraretinal hemorrhages are bleeding within the retinal tissue layers themselves, commonly associated with retinal vein occlusions or diabetic retinopathy 3
Critical Clinical Context
Retinal Vascular Occlusions
- When a retinal vein becomes obstructed (either central retinal vein occlusion or branch retinal vein occlusion), the increased intravenous pressure results in intraretinal hemorrhages as a defining feature 3
- These hemorrhages appear alongside retinal edema, cotton wool spots, and venous dilation in the affected region 3
Vitreous Hemorrhage Causes
- Posterior vitreous detachment with retinal tears causes vitreous hemorrhage in 8-22% of cases at initial presentation, with two-thirds having at least one retinal break 1
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy leads to fragile neovascularization that bleeds into the vitreous cavity due to global retinal ischemia 2
- The amount of vitreous hemorrhage directly correlates with the likelihood of an underlying retinal tear 1
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not dismiss new-onset floaters with photopsias (flashes of light) as benign—this combination requires emergency evaluation for vitreous hemorrhage and potential retinal tears 1
- Failing to recognize that retinal breaks can develop 2-5% of the time in the weeks following initial posterior vitreous detachment symptoms leads to delayed treatment and potential retinal detachment 1
- Missing the distinction between superficial subconjunctival hemorrhage (benign, self-limited) and deeper intraocular bleeding (potentially vision-threatening) can result in inadequate workup 1