I have a blood vessel that burst in my upper eyelid. What may have caused this? Should I be concerned? (Photo)

Question

What may have caused this? Should I be concerned?

Thomas Wright, MD · Answer

Isolated Eyelid Bruise are usally the result of mild trauma such as rubbing your eyes hard. Multiple bruises with no clear causes should be looked at by doctor to make sure there is no bleeding condition.
If is an isolate bruise no treatment is necessary.  Wishing you the best of health.

Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks DoubleADes for your question! It’s understandable that seeing a bruise on your eyelid can be a bit startling, the skin there is some of the thinnest on your body, so even a tiny bit of leaked blood looks quite dramatic. Because the eyelid tissue is so loose and thin, blood spreads easily, which makes the shiner look more intense than a bruise on your arm or leg might.
The upper eyelid is packed with tiny capillaries. Since there is very little fat or muscle between the skin and the muscle tissue, even a microscopic leak becomes immediately visible.
A very common scenario to cause this bruise is rubbing your eye vigorously while waking up or during deep sleep. Even If you held your breath while lifting something heavy or had a particularly bad coughing fit recently, that’s a likely reason.
Avoid rubbing the area, as this can irritate the tissue and potentially cause more micro-leaks.

Try sleeping with an extra pillow tonight. Keeping your head above your heart helps reduce fluid "pooling" in the eyelids overnight. If it doesn't hurt, try to avoid NSAIDs like Advil or aspirin for 24 hours, as these can technically make the bruising spread further. The body is breaking down the blood cells. And finally the bruise will disappear.
Hope this was helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr Ali Sajjadian

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

It’s important to distinguish between varicose veins and spider veins when choosing between laser therapy, sclerotherapy, and vein surgery. With two board certified vein specialists, our center uses a combination of visual examination, functional flow measurements, ultrasound, transillumination, and infrared light to map out vein networks prior to therapy. Lasers can be used to treat deep varicose vein insufficiency, vein perforators, and varicose veins. Sclerotherapy is ideal for spider veins and reticular veins. Whereas surgery is reserved for severely incompetent varicose vein segments.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 surgeon

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 surgeon

Albert Malvehy, MD · Answer

This bruise is from a small blood vessel which burst in the eyelid. Like some vessels in the white part of the eye, they can look quite dramatic when they burst but they are 100% benign and nothing dangerous. It can happen from something as simple as sneezing (the pressure of the sneeze and how forcefully you shut your eyes when you sneeze) or rubbing your eyes. It will go away in a week or so. No cream or ointments or anything. Just leave it alone.

Rodolfo Farhy, MD · Answer

It appears to be a bruise. If you do not have pain and you are able to open the eye normally, then most likely this is traumatic and should resolve in few days. You should see an ophthalmologist if not better.

Eric Shreder, DO, MS · Answer

Hi, you probably rubbed the area while you were sleeping causing the bruise (sensitive/thin skin and fragile vessels). It should resolve over a few days. I don't think there should be any long term issues. Good luck, Dr Eric Shreder

I have a blood vessel that burst in my upper eyelid. What may have caused this? Should I be concerned? (Photo)

Answers (6)

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