Retinal haemorrhage
| Retinal hemorrhage | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Ophthalmology  |
Retinal hemorrhage (UK English: retinal haemorrhage) is a disorder of the
.Signs and symptoms
At the early stage, a retinal hemorrhage may not show any symptom at all.
Some symptoms may include:
- Seeing floaters in the vision
- Seeing cobwebs in the vision
- Seeing haze or shadows
- Distorted vision
- Rapid flashes of light in peripheral vision
- Red tint to vision
- Blurriness
- Sudden blindness
- Headache
Causes
In adults, retinal hemorrhages are largely spontaneous, secondary to chronic medical conditions such as hypertension. They also commonly occur in high altitude climbers, most likely due to the effects of systemic hypoxia on the eye. Risk is correlated with the maximum altitude reached, duration of exposure to high altitude conditions, and climb rate.[4]
In infants, retinal hemorrhages (RH) are highly associated with child abuse.[3] The incidence of RH in abusive head trauma is approximately 85%.[5][6] In a comprehensive review of 62 studies comprising 998 children, 504 of whom were abused, RH were found in 78% of cases of abusive head trauma (AHT) versus 5% of the cases of non-abusive head trauma. In a child with head trauma and RH, the odds ratio that this is AHT is 14.7 (95% CI 6.39, 33.62) and the probability of abuse is 91%. Where recorded, RH were bilateral in 83% of AHT cases compared to 8.3% in non-abusive cases.[7]
Diagnosis
A retinal hemorrhage is generally diagnosed by using an ophthalmoscope or fundus camera in order to examine the inside of the eye. A fluorescein angiography test may be conducted, in which a fluorescent dye is often injected into the patient's bloodstream beforehand so the administering ophthalmologist can have a more detailed view and examination on the blood vessels in the retina.[8] The fluorescent dye can have dangerous side effects: see Fluorescein
Eye examination may be done to check the eye(s) conditions, for instance to check how well the patient sees straight ahead, off to the sides and at different distances.
Blood tests may provide information about the patient's overall health and may also reveal the medical condition that may have caused retinal hemorrhage.[1]
Prevention
It is recommended to consult with
Treatment
Retinal hemorrhages, especially mild ones not associated with chronic disease, will normally reabsorb without treatment. Laser surgery is a treatment option which uses a laser beam to seal off damaged blood vessels in the retina.
Alternative treatments may include providing necessary nutrients to strengthen and heal damaged blood vessels, through the consumption of
See also
References
- ^ a b "Retinal Hemorrhage - What You Need to Know". Drugs.com. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
- PMID 8182033.
- ^ S2CID 51878771.
- PMID 23270439.
- PMID 10889093.
- PMID 12208246.
- PMID 23079748.
- ^ a b "Retinal Hemorrhage". TheFreeDictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
- ^ Sparks KO. "Retinal Bleeding". LARetinaSurgeon.com.
- S2CID 8262505.
- ^ "Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatment". WebMD.
- ^ Pilyugina S. "Retinal Physician - Ocular Dietary Supplementation — Food For Thought". Retinal Physician. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
Further reading
- Currie AD, Bentley CR, Bloom PA (March 2001). "Retinal haemorrhage and fatal stroke in an infant with fibromuscular dysplasia". Archives of Disease in Childhood. 84 (3): 263–4. PMID 11207180.
- Zuccoli G, Panigrahy A, Haldipur A, Willaman D, Squires J, Wolford J, Sylvester C, Mitchell E, Lope LA, Nischal KK, Berger RP (July 2013). "Susceptibility weighted imaging depicts retinal hemorrhages in abusive head trauma". Neuroradiology. 55 (7): 889–93. PMID 23568702.