Noticed a broken blood vessel in my baby's eye. Should I check out immediately?

Question

Hello doctor,

My son is 10 weeks old. Today I have noticed that he suddenly got a broken blood vessel in his right eye. It never happened before. He did cry and possibly scratched his eye right before it appeared. But, he did these things on multiple other occasions as well and never had a broken vessel before. Before this today, we went out for a ride in a car, and the road was occasionally bumpy. The baby was in his car seat, and he might have been slightly shaken. Is this broken blood vessel something that I should check out immediately or more likely nothing to worry about? The baby seems normal and sleeping now after a good meal.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Do not worry. It is something that will heal. Here are a few points that I would like to mention.

1. Various covering membranes of the eye in children below the age of 6 months are weak, but the best part is that if they are damaged, they heal quickly as the child is rapidly growing and cells are rapidly multiplying and regenerating at this point of time.

2. Regarding the blood vessel that is broken in the eye, I would want to know the location that is mainly if it is in the white portion of the eye or the black portion.

3. I am assuming it is in the white portion. Otherwise you would not be able to detect it so fast. If it is in the white part, then do not worry it will heal on its own.

4. If it is in the black portion, then also it will heal, but the problem is that it will affect the field of vision of the child in that eye. So, I would advise that if this vessel is in the black portion, then please show an ophthalmologist.

5. I suggest you Ciprofloxacin eye drops, one drop in the affected eye three times a day for three to five days to protect the damaged vessel from infection. Consult your doctor, discuss with him or her and take medicine with consent.