Other Causes

Broken capillaries can also be caused by vomiting forcefully, straining too hard to lift a heavy object or being poked in the eye with an object. Usually, broken capillaries in the eye heal themselves in 10 to 14 days without treatment.

Anatomy of the Eye

The top layer of the eye is called the conjunctiva. This thin layer of tissue covers the white part of the eye and is filled with many tiny blood vessels that bruise and break easily. Sometimes bruised blood vessels in the conjunctiva cause red eyes that heal quickly, and other times the capillaries actually break and bleed, causing blood to pool on the surface of the eye and taking longer to heal.

Warning

The medical term for harmless broken capillaries in the conjunctiva is subconjunctival hemorrhage. More serious conditions can also cause red eye or bleeding in the eye. Some of these include glaucoma, diabetes and eye infection. To rule out serious injury or disease, always have the eye checked by a doctor.

Treatment

Eye drops can help sooth red eyes with broken capillaries, but no special treatment is required to make them heal.

Prevention/Solution

Broken capillaries in the eye cannot be prevented, but discussing the problem with a doctor can help identify the cause. Some medications such as blood thinners can cause broken eye capillaries as a side effect. In that case, switching to a different medication can help.

Source:

Mayoclinic.com: Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

Ohiolionseyeresearch.com: Broken Blood Vessel in Eye

More Information:

Eye Diseases