Here's blood in your eye!

[Finer the Twiner]

I had the weirdest thing happen to me this week and it's kind of freaking me out, so I thought I would share the experience and turn to my brethren for advice.

I was editing a TV report on Wednesday afternoon -- a Jarome Iginla piece that airs Friday night on Sportsnet after the Flames/Oilers game. Watch for it! (OK, sorry for the shameless plug) -- when the editor turns to me and says. "Dude, what's with your eye?"

When I went to the washroom to check it out, I was horrified to discover that one corner of it (all the way up to the edge of the cornea) was completely filled with blood! I don't mean the kind of red eyes you get when you cry or have allergies.. I'm talking dark, venal, Bryan Berard bloody. There was no blood dripping out of the eye and no discharge either, but the outside corner of my right eyeball was definitely hemorraging something scary.

The doctor I saw at a walk-in clinic said it was a burst blood vessel and nothing to worry about. He said it was completely benign and should clear up in a week or two. I asked him what caused it, since I hadn't poked the eye or bumped my head. He replied that it could have been a sneeze, a cough or nothing it all -- sometimes the blood vessels just burst all on their own.

As a producer, I do spend a considerable amount of time in front of computers and TV monitors, but the doctor said he didn't think that was a contributing factor.

I'm no expert, but this sounds a little fishy to me... I was wearing contact lenses at the time this occurred, and the pressure of the lens kept the blood from entering my cornea. In the two days since, I've worn eyeglasses only. The colour of the bloody area has lightened somewhat, but it has spread closer to my cornea so that it now actually touches the edge of it. I'm noticing some blurry vision, as well. No pain, but a little blurriness.

Does anyone else have experience/advice with this kind of thing? I'm worried about the long-term consequences it may have on my vision, as well as the likelihood of a re-occurence.

Thanks in Advance,

Finer

[Oddzilla51]

AHH! PINK EYE!!

But seriously, that's freaky. Don't know what to say about something like that. Maybe a second opinion is in order. And this is not meant as a joke (but with my rep some will take it that way) but were you straining too much while going to the bathroom? Blood vessels usually just don't pop without some sort of strain on them.

[Finer the Twiner]

No, it's definitely not pink eye. I've never had it and as I said before, there is no discharge or pus coming out of the eye. It's not weepy -- just bloody.

As for the latter explanation, uh, no again. My mommy taught me long ago the dangers of straining at stool. I don't lift weights or exert myself in any undue way, either (acrobatic sex notwithstanding).

But thanks for the feedback, Oddz.

[JohnnyOne]

Finer,

Not to worry, everything will be ok. My mother has the same condition and has the occurence frequently ( 2-3 times a year) for many years. She was told by her eye doc that it is the result of weak blood vessels in the eye. It will not effect vision and is not caused by the use or mis-use of contacts (she does not wear contacts). Only treatment was to avoid eyestrain after it happens. Are you in your 40's? I think this occurance did not start with my mom until after she was in her 40's.

It does look ghastly though and even though I have seen it a million times it still freaks me out. My mom seems to get the bloody eye thing after she has been really stressed out; usually a few days later.

Luckily for me its not hereditary!!

Hope this helps, should go to an eye doctor though just to be sure.

J1

[robbf]

Hey Finer, I don't think the doc was trying to give you a crock answer just to separate you from your 50$CDN (ok, no comments about the exchange rate....!)
It's true a sneeze, cough or some other type of 'high speed' maneuver can induce internal eye bleeding.
The worst case I ever saw was a buddy of mine who had a minor incident while we were diving in the Caribbean; he managed to rupture blood vessels in both eyes!
Looked like the freakin devil reborn when you looked at him.
We got kinda worried that the locals might decide to try and burn him at the stake or something when they got a look at him, so he spent the final four days we had down there wearing sunglasses, day and night.
If I recall correctly it took about two-three weeks for the blood to dissipate on its own, but again, he did it up pretty good.

[goalieguy67]

Finer,

Nothing to be concerned with......over the New Year, lets just say I indulged a little too much and ended up throwing a technicolour yawn.

End result....broken blood vessel in my left eye.....I went to see my eye doctor(he plays on my team) and he said unless I feel extreme pressure and pain it will just go away within a weeek or two.

I looks like hell..... but just think of all the really cool stories you can make up to tell people what happened.

I mean come on..... the "I was just sitting there and all of a sudden" line is pretty weak....at least say it was had by making some miraculous game saving stop.......a little writer's embellishment never hurts.

GG67

[Finer the Twiner]

Thanks for the reassurance, guys.

I'm only 33, but thanks to my job, I've got the eyes of a man twice my age.

As for the explanation about how it happened, you're right GG -- mine is pretty weak. I think I'm gonna go with "Well, I was servicing my harem last night and things got a little outta hand..."

[Oddzilla51]

Finer, if you have kids just use this as a golden opportunity . Tell them that this happened to your eye because you didn't eat your vegetables when you were little.

Nothing like a little shock value to get the kids to do something they don't want to do.

[Finer the Twiner]

Now THERE'S some usefull advice, Oddz!!

I'm allllllll over that one!

[Oddzilla51]

Hey, what can I say Finer.. I'm full of it. Advice, that is!!

[Hall the Wall]

This happened to my uncle before. He was really sick and he threw up really hard a couple of times. He ended up popping blood vessels in both his eyes so they were both red. It looked really cool.
Eric

[Clyde]

The only thing I would wonder about is if they checked your intra-occular pressure. Sometimes, when accompanied by vision changes like yours, vessels may have burst due to increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma). Did the doc check that? If not, maybe see your eye doc. 99% of the cases we see in the ER at work are nothing at all to worry about. Also 95% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Stay square,
Clyde

[Finer the Twiner]

Good point, Clyde. That was one of the things I was concerned about. I'll visit my optometrist ASAP.

[dave a nator]

Well it happened to me once. I was working an extremley busy christmas weekend one year.(retail sucks)took two weeks to go away,but no long term effects. Now the bleeding eye thing is just from the beer after the game.

[kevinthenet]

Finer: No more trading your sandwiches for John Garrett's brownies. You got off lucky!!!