One day, looking in the mirror, you find an ugly and even frightening bruise in your eye. What to do - run to the doctor or dispense with pharmacy drops? The answer to this question depends primarily on the cause of the pathology. After all, the problem can lie in the development of serious pathologies, and in increased physical activity. True, be that as it may, it is still advisable to visit an ophthalmologist.
What is a bruise
The occurrence of severe redness or hemorrhage in the eye is always associated with damage to small blood vessels. Doctors distinguish several types of pathology, depending on the location of the bruise itself:
- Gythema. This is the name of the accumulation of blood in the anterior eye chamber - between the iris and the cornea. Hyphema is most often the result of blunt trauma. Pathology is characterized by blurred vision and intense pain. This bruising in the eye requires immediate medical attention.intervention.
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage. With such a pathology, the vessels of the mucous membrane of the visual organ are injured. Usually, this bruising appears suddenly and for no apparent reason.
- Hemophthalmos. This is a bruise localized in the vitreous inside the eye. In other words, hemophthalmos is an internal hemorrhage in the visual organ. With this pathology, patients complain of a strong fog in front of the affected eye. With complete hemophthalmos, there is a loss of visual function. Hemophthalmos is considered a severe and very dangerous lesion of the eye. In the absence of appropriate therapy, complete loss of vision is possible, which will be irreversible.
- Retinal bruising. Occurs against the background of bleeding from the vessels of the retina. In fact, this part of the eye is extremely thin and sensitive. So even minor bleeding can lead to severe visual impairment and retinopathy.
Signs of pathology
The clinical picture of the anomaly depends on where exactly the hemorrhage occurred. Blood can even completely fill the entire eye. Associated symptoms also depend on the type of hemorrhage.
So, with hyphema, the entire anterior chamber of the visual organ is filled with blood. If at the same time a person lies, then the liquid will be distributed evenly, and if he is in a vertical position, it will simply settle at the bottom. How much vision is affected depends entirely on the amount of blood.
With hemophthalmia, blood fills the entire vitreous body. The bruise in the eye turns burgundy andtakes the form of a lens. If the vitreous body is completely blocked by blood, visual function will be lost.
When injured, the victim may experience flashes of light in front of the injured eye. Sometimes they will be replaced by dark spots.
It is noteworthy that, apart from the bruise in the eye itself, there are no other signs of a problem. Only in some cases, with damage to large vessels, pain can occur. If the hemorrhage is extensive, the victim may experience a feeling of increased pressure in the visual organ.
Causes of hemorrhage in the eye
Treatment of pathology, of course, depends entirely on the causes of its occurrence. First, a person must undergo an appropriate examination. And only after the diagnosis will he be given the optimal treatment.
There can only be two reasons for bruising in the eye:
- trauma - mechanical damage to the eye or skull itself;
- vascular weakness - it may be associated with some kind of internal disease, such as cancer.
Hemorrhage due to injury
The severity of the damage affects the quality of vision in the eye: sometimes it does not suffer at all, and sometimes it temporarily worsens or disappears altogether.
Medics distinguish between several degrees of shell shock:
- First. With such an injury, the bruising in the eye is insignificant, the eyeball remains intact, and vision is not affected. In this case, the hemorrhage disappears quite quickly and the person is completelyrecovering.
- Second. The bruise in the eye from the blow is clearly visible, but the tissues are not badly damaged, and the victim himself sees light and feels a deterioration in vision. Proper treatment allows you to fully restore visual function.
- Third. With this degree, the death of the eyeball occurs. It is impossible to restore vision with such an injury, since the structure of the eye undergoes irreversible changes.
Any damage to the visual organ should be taken very seriously. After all, even a minor injury can lead to dangerous consequences. In this case, it is not worth delaying a visit to the doctor.
Bruising as a result of pathologies
The eye is an organ that is abundantly saturated with blood, and therefore has a branched vascular network. Some diseases can affect the permeability and elasticity of the eye vessels. That is why hemorrhages in one or even both eyes at once are a frequent and sometimes inevitable symptom of serious ailments.
What causes bruising in the eyes? There could be many reasons for this:
- hematological defects - anemia or acute leukemia;
- diabetes - during the development of retinopathy;
- atherosclerosis;
- coagulopathy - problems with blood clotting;
- hypertension;
- myopia;
- collagenosis - lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, scleroderma;
- pathology of the vessels themselves - iritis or uveitis;
- retinal diseases;
- tumorsinside the eye;
- inflammation of the mucous membrane;
- sudden increase in blood pressure;
- severe vomiting or coughing;
- use of blood thinners;
- vitamin K deficiency.
Frequent bruising, even when feeling normal, is a reason to go to an ophthalmologist for an examination.
When bleeding is not dangerous
Depending on the nature of the pathology and the cause, treatment of hemorrhage in the eye may not be required.
Comfortable lenses, which often replace the usual glasses, can also cause bruising. At least not if they are chosen incorrectly. And all because mechanical irritation of the eye gradually leads to damage to small vessels. The result is minor bruising. But do not be afraid, because the hemorrhage will quickly disappear if you temporarily abandon the lenses and choose others.
During childbirth, a woman's body endures unimaginable loads, which are often accompanied by bruising in the eyes. How to remove blood stains? No need to do anything - gradually the hemorrhage will disappear on its own, without any treatment.
A variety of physical activities associated with work or sports can also lead to bruising in the eyes. In this case, it is enough just to reduce their intensity, and the spots themselvesdisappear.
A long flight in an airplane, during which the pressure often changes, can also lead to injury to small vessels and, accordingly, hemorrhage. In this case, you should not worry either, because after a few days it will disappear on its own.
When it's time to see a doctor
Make an appointment with an ophthalmologist as soon as possible if:
- Bruising appeared on both eyes at the same time.
- There was a heavy mist in front of my eye.
- Vision suddenly deteriorated.
- In addition to the hemorrhage, severe pain appeared.
- Hemorrhage in the eye is related to the impact.
- You are taking blood thinning medications.
What not to do
If a bruise is found in the eye, do not:
- rubbing your eyes hard, this only aggravates the situation and contributes to increased hemorrhage;
- use eye drops without a doctor's prescription;
- put on contact lenses;
- self-refuse medication without an eye doctor appointment.
Keep in mind that only subconjunctival hemorrhage can resolve without negative he alth effects. In all other cases, without appropriate treatment, the risk of complete irreversible loss of vision is extremely high. After all, the occurrence of such a symptom may indicate a serious pathology in the visual system or even throughout the body.
Treatment
If you find a bruise in your eye, don'tworry only in one case: if the organ does not hurt, and vision is not affected. In all other situations, you should definitely visit a doctor who can determine the causes of the pathology and choose the best treatment tactics.
Subconjunctival hemorrhage most often does not require special treatment and disappears on its own.
If you experience severe discomfort or even pain, your ophthalmologist may prescribe anti-inflammatory or decongestant drops for you. If an eye infection is detected, appropriate antiviral or antibacterial drugs are prescribed. How long does a bruise in the eye last? Usually subconjunctival hemorrhage disappears within two weeks without any complications.
In other situations, the patient may even require inpatient treatment.
If the filling of the eyeball with blood was detected, an examination should be carried out before therapy to determine the causes of the pathology. This is an extremely important nuance, since knowledge of the problem will prevent the development of relapse, complications and complete loss of vision.
First aid for hemorrhage in the eye is the fastest possible diagnosis and subsequent therapy. To completely eliminate the problem, the patient should observe complete rest, follow all the instructions of the doctor and follow the recommended procedures. In addition, the injured eye must be isolated from the environment.
Cold compresses and dressings with antiseptic solutions should be applied as often as possible to the damaged organ. At the same time, drug therapy is used, which allows you to achieve a maximum recovery as quickly as possible.
If the eye is noticeably reddened or a hemorrhage appears in it, but there is no pain or discomfort, pharmacy drops and folk remedies are most often used. Such therapy usually allows you to quickly eliminate pathological symptoms.
Medicated treatment
Most often, ophthalmologists recommend a standard treatment regimen to patients:
- intramuscular administration or oral intake of vitamin complexes;
- intravenous administration of lidase and glucose - they contribute to the complete resorption of infiltrates and bruises;
- drugs to give vessels elasticity and strength;
- hemostatic agents;
- intravenous protease enzymes - optional.
At home, drops can be used for bleeding in the eye:
- "Taufon";
- "Naphthyzinum";
- "Octilia";
- "Ocumethyl";
- "Vizin".
All these are vasoconstrictor drugs that prevent blood from flowing through the vascular walls. With a bruise in the eye, drops help to quickly remove even severe redness.
In more severe cases, surgery may be performed. Doctors usually resort to this procedure for serious damage to the vitreous and retina. During the operation, the eye cavity is removedall blood clots.
How to quickly remove a bruise in the eye? Medicines that would completely eliminate hemorrhage do not exist today. If surgery does not solve the problem, rest for the eyes and taking vitamins may well be enough.
Drugs can be prescribed not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of hemorrhages. To prevent bruising, doctors recommend taking ordinary vitamin C. This element helps soften the vascular walls, making them more elastic.
If a hyphema was detected in a patient during diagnostics, special procedures can be dispensed with. As a rule, with such a pathology, doctors prescribe special drops for hemorrhage, for example, "Potassium iodide 3%". You need to use them three times during the day.
The course of therapy should last 10 days. If the pathological symptoms do not disappear during this time, the patient is recommended surgery.
Treatment at home
Cold compresses and herbal decoctions are considered the most effective for bruising in the eyes. Alternative medicine offers several effective recipes for solving such a problem. By the way, all of them can be used for bruising in the eye in newborns.
- Compress with tea leaves. Prepare strong black tea, let it cool and soak a cotton pad in it. Apply moist cotton to the injured eye for 15-20 minutes.
- Compress with chamomile. Pour boiling water over dry flowers, let cooland insist. Then strain the resulting tea, soak a bandage or cotton wool in it and apply it to the eye. Leave the compress on for half an hour.
- Lotion with cottage cheese. Wrap the milk product in a bandage and apply to the injured eye. The same compress using serum will be no less effective.
- Lotion with cabbage. Cabbage leaf must be crushed to a puree state. The resulting slurry should be wrapped in a bandage and applied to the eye. You can also use freshly squeezed cabbage juice in the same way. Such a compress should be done several times a day for a quick effect.
All of these remedies have proven themselves in the treatment of bruising in the eye. In a child, hemorrhage can be eliminated with the help of any of them. The main thing is to follow all the rules for using the selected tool.
Conclusion
Bruising in the eyes is a sure sign of excessive vessel fragility. This indicates that the body suffers from a deficiency of vitamins P and C. To compensate for the lack of these substances and prevent hemorrhages in the future, you can use ordinary ascorbic acid, Askorutin, or complex mineral and vitamin preparations containing the missing vitamins.
In summer, the menu of people who know about their problems with blood vessels should include seasonal berries, vegetables and fruits, and in winter - citrus fruits and sauerkraut.
Keep in mind that bruising in the eyes is not just a cosmetic flaw, but a real reason foranxiety, especially if they occur frequently and for no apparent reason. In this case, hurry up with a visit to the ophthalmologist: it is possible that you have quite serious he alth problems, because the condition of our eyes often indicates them.
