Red Spot on Eye Stings
DEC 13, 2010
Question:
I have a red mark on my eye that got bigger. I have been told it is bloodshot but it has been in my eye for two days now. I woke up and noticed the mark, it stings when I blink and I touched it and it really hurt. Can you help? Thanks.
Answer:
A red spot on the white of the eye is often a benign condition resulting from a broken blood vessel, called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. This can happen for no reason or can be a result of straining such as a cough or lifting weights. It is usually pain-free; however, mild stinging and tenderness are possible but uncommon. The fact that you say it "really hurt" makes me concerned that the red spot may be a focal area of inflammation in the eye called episcleritis or scleritis. If your vision is not affected I think it is safe to wait a day or two to see if the red spot starts to resolve. It may take longer to completely resolve, though. If it gets worse, enlarges or becomes clearly associated with pain or decreased vision then a consult with an ophthalmologist is necessary.