Red Eye Alert: Why is There a Red Dot in My Eye?

A sudden red dot in the eye can catch patients off guard. While it may look concerning, red dots are usually harmless and don't indicate a serious medical issue.

However, knowing the potential causes and symptoms can help patients decide when to contact a healthcare provider and how best to manage any related eye conditions.

The appearance of a red dot on the sclera, the white area of the eye, can result from several possible causes. It might be due to a small amount of bleeding, inflammation, or even pressure from everyday activities.

While broken blood vessels are a common explanation, other factors, such as infections or chronic health issues, can also play a role.

This is the most common reason for a red dot appearing in the eye. A subconjunctival hemorrhage occurs when a tiny blood vessel breaks beneath the conjunctiva, the clear, thin membrane that covers the white part of the eye. Because the membrane doesn’t absorb blood quickly, the burst blood vessel becomes trapped under the conjunctiva. This creates a bright red or dark red blood spot on the sclera.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage looks more serious than it actually is. In most cases there’s no pain, no vision changes, and only mild irritation. It normally doesn’t require treatment. The patient’s body will naturally reabsorb the blood over the course of a few weeks.

This can happen when the eye experiences a direct impact, such as being hit during sports or coming into contact with a foreign object. Even minor trauma, such as accidentally scratching the surface of the eye, can damage small blood vessels.

Trauma-related redness is often accompanied by eye pain, swelling, or bruising around the eye. Because eye injuries can vary in severity, it’s important that patients seek medical evaluation if they notice redness in the eyes following an injury.

Wearing lenses for too long, using expired solutions, or inserting and removing lenses incorrectly can all irritate the eye. In some cases, this irritation can cause tiny blood vessels to rupture, resulting in localized redness.

If this happens, patients should remove the lenses immediately and use lubricating drops to soothe the eye.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) can make the blood vessels in the eyes more fragile and susceptible to breaking. As a result, a red dot can sometimes appear in the eye without any obvious cause.

In these cases, the red spot is often the first outward sign of an underlying health issue. While it may not cause pain or visual changes, patients should monitor their blood pressure closely. If hypertension is diagnosed, managing it with lifestyle changes or medication can help reduce the risk of future eye-related symptoms and broader health concerns.

Chronic conditions that affect blood clotting or circulation - such as diabetes, anemia, sickle cell disease, or blood clotting disorders - can also lead to bleeding in the eye. In some cases, changes in circulation or twisted blood vessels can increase pressure within the eye and make the area more vulnerable to a red dot or patch.

A red spot may appear without any identifiable trigger and might occur more than once. Additional signs may include easy bruising elsewhere on the body or slow healing from cuts. If a patient has a known blood disorder, or if they notice repeated red spots in the eyes, it's important to get a medical evaluation.

Bacterial or viral infections like conjunctivitis (pink eye) can sometimes create red spots in the eye, especially when inflammation or discharge puts extra stress on the delicate blood vessels. These spots are usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as itching, burning, eye irritation, or a gritty feeling in the eye.

Patients may also notice discharge or crusting, especially upon waking. Infections like these can be caused by a bacterial infection, a virus, or in some cases, an inflammatory disorder affecting the eye. Treatment typically involves antibiotic or antiviral eye drops.

On rare occasions eye surgery, such as LASIK and cataract surgery, can leave behind small red spots. These typically result from minor bleeding at the surgical site or from instruments contacting the surface of the affected eye.

While these red spots might seem concerning, they’re often expected and usually fade within a couple of weeks. Patients might experience mild irritation, but as long as they follow their surgeon’s post-operative care instructions and use prescribed eye drops, there’s usually no cause for concern.

While most red dots in the eye are harmless, certain signs should prompt you to seek medical attention. These may be early signs of a more serious issue, or in rare cases, a medical emergency. Seek care immediately if you notice:

• Pain or discomfort in the eye
  

• Sudden change in vision (blurry or double vision)
  

• Swelling around the eye
  

• Discharge or crusting
  

• Redness that spreads beyond the initially affected eye
  

• Recurrent subconjunctival hemorrhages without a clear cause

• A history of bleeding disorders or uncontrolled hypertension

If a patient visits an eye care provider, they will likely start with a physical examination and a detailed history. They may ask patients questions regarding when they noticed the red dot and if they have any underlying health conditions that may be contributing to the dot.

To get a clearer picture, the provider may perform a comprehensive eye exam to check the overall health of the eye and rule out more serious concerns. The eye doctor may also use a range of tools to make an accurate diagnosis:

Visual Acuity Test: To check if vision has been affected.

Slit Lamp Exam: Provides a magnified view of eye structures.

Blood Pressure Reading: To rule out hypertension.

Blood Tests: If a blood clotting disorder is suspected or if the patient is taking blood thinning medication.

For those wondering “why is there a red dot in my eye” and what’s the treatment, treatment depends on the cause of the red dot. In cases like subconjunctival hemorrhages, no treatment is typically needed. The blood will slowly get reabsorbed by the body.

In cases where the dot is causing irritation, the doctors may prescribe lubricating eye drops, artificial tears, or suggest the patient use a cold or warm compress for relief.

When the red spot is the result of an infection, trauma, or underlying disease, a patient’s doctor may suggest different treatment options. These include a prescription to antibiotics or antiviral medications. If the patient is on blood pressure medications the doctor might adjust the dosage.