Eye Problems, Noninjury: Check Your Symptoms

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When to See a Doctor

Do you have blood or yellow color in one or both eyes?

See significance of blood in the eye if you need information to help you answer the questions below.

Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.

Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Do you have blood over the colored part (iris) of your eye?

Yes

Do you have blood in the white part of your eye with any other symptoms? Other symptoms may include:

• Eye pain.
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia).
• Decreased vision in all or part of the vision field.
• Blurred vision.
• Double vision.
• Floaters, flashes of light, or “curtains” in the vision field.

Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Do you have blood in more than one-fourth of the white of the eye without other symptoms?

Yes

Is your eye swollen because of bleeding?

You need an appointment within the next 1 to 2 weeks if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Do you have blood in less than one-fourth of the white of the eye that has not cleared after 5 days or recurs often?

Yes

Has the white part of both eyes turned yellow (jaundice)?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Last updated:	December 06, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer