Vitreous Hemorrhage Specialist

What is a vitreous hemorrhage?

Your eyes are filled with vitreous, a transparent gellike fluid. A vitreous hemorrhage occurs when the blood vessels in your eye leak into your vitreous, which can disturb your vision. The blood in your vitreous causes symptoms including:

• Blurry vision
• Red tint to vision
• Floaters
• Flashes of light in your peripheral vision

These symptoms could be due to a number of eye health problems, which can lead to permanent vision damage or blindness. You should make an appointment to find out what’s causing the changes in your vision and get the medical treatment you need to protect your sight.

What causes vitreous hemorrhage?

Diabetic eye disease and retinopathy are the most common causes of vitreous hemorrhage. Diabetes damages your blood vessels, including the blood vessels in your eyes. As diabetic eye disease progresses, your damaged blood vessels leak blood and other fluid into your eyes, which can get into your vitreous.

You can also suffer a vitreous hemorrhage after an eye injury. For example, if you have a blow to your face during a sports accident or personal assault, the force can damage one of the blood vessels in your eye and cause vitreous hemorrhage.

How is vitreous hemorrhage diagnosed?

The ophthalmologists at Retina Consultants diagnose vitreous hemorrhage with a comprehensive eye exam, including pupil dilation. Pupil dilation allows your ophthalmologist to see the inside of your eyes, including your vitreous and retina clearly, to diagnose issues like vitreous hemorrhage and diabetic retinopathy.

How is vitreous hemorrhage treated?

In most cases, your ophthalmologist will recommend a period of observation because a vitreous hemorrhage often clears up on its own. They might recommend limiting your head movements and sleeping with your head elevated to keep your bleeding settled so it doesn’t interfere with your vision while your eyes heal.

They might recommend medicine, cryotherapy, or laser treatments to address the underlying cause of your bleeding. In severe cases, your ophthalmologist might recommend a vitrectomy to remove the damaged vitreous fluid and replace it with clear saline solution.

Call Retina Consultants Ltd. or make an appointment online if you have any symptoms of vitreous hemorrhage for expert diagnosis and treatment.