Vitreous Hemorrhage
The
vitreous is normally a clear, jelly-like fluid that
fills the inside of the eye. Various disease states
can cause the vitreous to fill with blood so that
light entering the eye will not reach the
retina
properly. Also see "Eye
Anatomy".
Definition
Vitreous hemorrhage, or bleed, results in a sudden
change in vision as it blocks light moving through
the vitreous to the retina. This hemorrhage
specifically occurs in front of the
retina in the
posterior section of the eye.
The vitreous hemorrhage may be the result of an
aneurysm of a blood vessel in the eye, trauma to the
eye, a retinal tear, a
retinal detachment, a new
blood vessel (neovascularization) or as a result of
another underlying disease state.
These disease states include
diabetes, hypertension,
sickle cell anemia, and carotid artery disease.
Diabetics are particularly susceptible because the
disease triggers the growth of new blood vessels
within the eye.
The vessels are weak and bleed easily. This is why
blindness is a concern for patients suffering from
diabetes. Vitreous hemorrhage occurs more frequently
in patients over 50 but can occur at any age.
Symptoms
Someone experiencing a vitreous hemorrhage may
experience one or more of the following symptoms:
• sudden onset of blurry
vision
• light flashes
• floaters (spots seemingly floating across the
field of vision)
• blindness
Treatment
Initial treatment may be observation alone. Minor
hemorrhages often clot and resolve on their own over
time. Unfortunately, it may take months for full
visual recovery from a vitreous hemorrhage.
Current research has produced drugs that can
dissolve the vitreous gel inside the eye and may
dramatically reduce the recovery time. These drugs
are currently in the investigational stage and are
awaiting FDA approval.
For more severe and debilitating vitreous
hemorrhage, a vitrectomy may be performed. A
vitrectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the
vitreous gel and the blood from inside the eye.
After the vitreous is removed, the surgeon will
refill the eye with a special saline solution that
closely resembles the natural vitreous fluid in the
eye.
Recovery from the procedure will take up to 6 weeks
and complete vision recovery will take a little
longer.
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