Help! The white of my eye is completely red!

[HolidaysQueen]

That's it really - just went to put my contact lenses in and the top half of the white of my eye is bright red. It is completely red rather than just bloodshot and looks like my eye is bleeding inside. I'm quite freaked out as my husband had a really dangerous eye infection a couple of years ago and has permanently damaged sight from the scar so I'm very squeamish about eyes. I can't get hold of him at work, and am in a phone queue waiting to get a doctors appointment, so only have my 4mo DS to talk to and he can only smile at me!

Any ideas what it is, or just reassurance? I haven't banged it, poked it or anything like that.

sounds like maybe a burst blood vessel, get it checked but i dont think there is much they can do to treat it. always get your eyes checked if there is a problem.

Do you wear your contacts all day, every day? And do you work in an office? Apparently, if you wear contacts all the time, especially in air conditioned environments, your eyes don't get enough oxygen and go red. This happened to my sister. She has to stop wearing contacts during the day for ages, and even now tries not to wear them at the office all the time. But no serious, or permanent, damage.

If you can't get through to your doc, try your optician. And have some sympathy from me!

I normally don't wear lenses too much - on mat leave at the moment so normally don't go to the effort of putting them in!

I have a drs appt for 11.20am thank goodness.

Bethoo - yes, it could be a burst blood vessel - was thinking it looked that but no idea if it was serious! Sounds like maybe not too bad - thank you

I often get this when I sneeze.
Burst blood vessel - takes about 10 days to dissipate

it is called a sub-conjuntival haemorrahge and is basically a bruise in the whites of the eye, so yep a burst blood vessel, when we bruis under skin it looks funny colours because of our various skin tones but in the whites of oyur eye the blood shows up much brighter. if it is not painful it is really nothing ot worry about nad will take a week or 2 to go, but go t your appt to be sure this is what it is.

thanks all - it is indeed a burst blood vessel (although i will use what mummydoc and my doctor called it as it sounds more exciting!)

was very freaked out because of dh's experience, but fortunately it isn't at all serious