Which Term Describes Bleeding Between The Conjunctiva And The Sclera. The sclera is the white part of the eye, and the conjunctiva is the membrane that covers most of the eyeball.
It’s important to understand what these terms mean because they can help identify injuries or diseases in your eyes.
The primary purpose of both the sclera and conjunctiva is to protect against foreign objects entering into our eyes.
Which Term Describes Bleeding Between The Conjunctiva And The Sclera
A subconjunctival hemorrhage is a small amount of fresh blood that leaks into the space between the white part of the eye, called the sclera, and its surrounding outer layer, the conjunctiva.
What is conjunctiva?
The conjunctiva has several purposes, one of which is the protection of the ocular surface from infection as well as injury. In an otherwise healthy individual, anything that irritates this tissue causes a cascade of different events to occur as a way to try and remove whatever it is causing discomfort from your eye.
These events include increased tear production via secretion from meibomian glands on the eyelid margin, chemosis (edema of the conjunctival tissue), and reflexive upper-eyelid closure that assists in trapping whatever is irritating your eye from getting into your eye.
Injuries to the sclera are divided into two categories: contusions and open wounds.
Scleral contusion refers to a bruise on the surface of your sclera, while a scleral wound is a break or rupture through this outer layer. A lot of time with these injuries what you’ll see is a diffuse haziness over the white part of an individual’s eye because there has been some damage to one of these underlying layers.
The most common cause for either type of injury is blunt impact trauma such as a fist to the eye, getting hit with a baseball or hockey puck, or from a fall.
In terms of the conjunctiva, there are two types of injuries that occur most often
perforation and abrasion. A perforation injury refers to a break in the conjunctival barrier through which material is able to enter under your eyelid and contact your ocular surface.
These can be extremely serious because this particular layer is very thin and allows bacteria easy access into your eye under these conditions. Abrasions on the other hand usually heal quickly with minimal tissue damage as long as proper treatment is applied promptly after an injury occurs.
Conjunctiva Injuries A number of different types of injuries could affect the conjunctiva, which is a thin membrane that covers the outside of your eye and lines your eyelids. These injuries may result in symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain, or tearing.
Many types of injuries can involve the conjunctiva (conjunctivitis), but some are more serious than others. Conjunctivitis is usually temporary and typically clears up on its own with proper care. Some types of injuries require additional treatment to avoid further complications.
Conjunctival foreign bodies
An object stuck under the eyelid at the edge of the cornea (the clear area that lets light into your eye) can cause discomfort and redness.
You should see an eye doctor if you cannot remove the object, especially if you have trouble closing your eye.
Constellation of ocular findings
Symptoms may include redness, tearing, light sensitivity (photophobia), itching, pain around the eye, and swelling.
The condition is usually caused by allergies or an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation around the eyes. Many molecular diagnostic tests are available for immune-mediated disorders that affect tissue surrounding the eye.
Topical corticosteroid eye drops can be effective in reducing symptoms and molecular testing plays a key role in diagnosing the immune-mediated conditions affecting tissue surrounding the eyes.
Conjunctivitis is caused by chemical burns
Heavy exposure to chemicals can cause severe irritation to the skin or mucus membranes.
Symptoms occur immediately after exposure and include stinging pain; redness, swelling, and rashes around the eye; blurry vision; tearing; fever; headaches; and disorientation.
In some cases, a surgeon can use a laser to treat conditions such as a droopy eyelid (ptosis) by removing tissue from inside the eyelid.
Recurrent conjunctival foreign body
A condition in which small objects stick to the surface of your eye repeatedly over time. Symptoms include redness, discomfort, and tearing that improves with the removal of the object stuck on your eye.
Although you may have trouble closing your eyes completely after trying to remove an object from under your upper lid, this is different from entropion. Surgical repair may be required to keep objects from getting stuck under your upper lid.
Severe injury to the conjunctiva may cause scarring that can lead to decreased vision and irritation in your eye. Surgery or other treatment is often necessary to correct this condition.
Sjögren’s syndrome
An autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation of tear-producing glands (known as lacrimal glands). Along with dry eyes, it can also cause a thickening of the conjunctiva, which makes closing the eyelids difficult, among other symptoms.
Uveitis
Inflammation inside one or both eyes and sometimes outside tissues surrounding the eyes.
Symptoms include redness; itching; blurred vision; floaters; pain around the eyes; swelling around the eye; pupil changes such as increased size, decreased size, or unevenness in pupils; and tearing. Autoimmune conditions, infection, and sometimes viruses cause uveitis.
Gonococcal conjunctivitis
A type of conjunctivitis that occurs when gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
- infects the eyes.
- Symptoms include redness around both eyes; itching
- eye pain;
Treatment usually includes antibiotic eye drops, medicine to take by mouth, and rest.
Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis
- Itching
- redness around the eyes
- pupil changes such as increased size or decreased size
- tearing
- A foreign body sensation.
- It can be caused by allergens that come into contact with your eyes , such as pollen, animal dander, mold spores, dust mites, cockroach waste, perfume, smoke from wood fires, detergents
- used to clean surfaces in homes and elsewhere (including on airplanes), or latex gloves.
Allergic conjunctivitis is more common in people who have asthma or hay fever.
In some cases, it may be due to an allergy to ingredients found in types of makeup.
Symptoms usually go away by themselves within a few days. Treatment may include eye drops or antihistamines.
Cryptococcal conjunctivitis
A form of conjunctivitis caused by the fungus Cryptococcus, which is found in pigeon droppings and other bird feces.
Symptoms include
- red eyes
- tearing
- feeling like there’s something stuck in your eye;
- pupil changes such as increased size or decreased size; eyelid swelling;
- fever
- headache
- generalized aches throughout your body (which are signs of disseminated infection).
Treatment usually includes taking an anti-fungal medicine by mouth for at least two weeks, plus eye drops to prevent further irritation of the eye. Other medications, including corticosteroids taken orally, eyedrops, or corticosteroid injection into the eye may be prescribed.
Chlamydial conjunctivitis
A type of conjunctivitis that is caused by chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Symptoms include
- Redness around both eyesitching
- eye pain
- Pupil changes such as increased size or decreased size
- tearing
- foreign body sensation.
Gonorrheal conjunctivitis
A form of conjunctivitis caused by gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Symptoms include
- Redness around both eyes
- itching
- EyePain
- Pupil changes such as increased size or decreased size
- tearing, a foreign body sensation.
It can be caused by an allergy to ingredients found in types of makeup.
Symptoms usually go away by themselves within a few days. Treatment may include eye drops or antihistamines.
Erythema infectiosum
A form of facial rash caused by parvovirus B19, which is spread through the air when people with it sneeze or cough. It’s most common in children and teens and unusual for adults to get it (they’ve likely had the virus as kids).
Symptoms include
- bright red cheeks (in contrast to measles, where they’re pale)
- bright red eyelids
- light sensitivity
- fever
- headache
- tiredness
- Upper respiratory symptoms such as coughing and sore throat
- sometimes with nasal congestion or eye discharge
which typically lasts for 1 to 3 weeks; may recur in the same season again.
Conjunctivitis is an irritation of the thin, transparent tissue that lines your inner eyelid and covers the whites of your eyes (the conjunctiva).
There are many types of conjunctivitis, including bacterial, viral, allergic, parasitic, herpetic
(caused by herpes simplex virus), chlamydia, gonococcal (due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae ), vaccinia (after vaccination), fungal, and others.
Bacterial infection is common in newborns due to exposure during delivery. Viral infections commonly cause pink eye in children.
Allergic conjunctivitis is more common in people who have asthma or hay fever. In some cases, it may be due to an allergy to ingredients found in types of makeup. Symptoms usually go away by themselves within a few days. Treatment may include eye drops or antihistamines.
Common infectious organisms include adenovirus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), and vaccinia.
Rarely, parasites such as Onchocerca volvulus can cause conjunctivitis. The larvae of this parasite are transmitted from person to person by black flies which breed near rivers and streams.
Complications for adults include corneal ulceration and perforation; however, adverse outcomes are not frequent with current therapy.