Vitreous Hemorrhage - Know The Causes & Treatment Of It!

The eye is filled with vitreous gel at the back of the eye. It causes the safe zone for the macula and retina. But, when blood leaks into this gel, it may cause blockage in the blood vessels in the eye and result in tissue death. This condition is called Vitreous Hemorrhage.

The gel like vitreous humor is the reason that light passes through the eyes and a person can see. If the cavity is filled with blood, the transparency is affected and results in vision loss. However, the degree of bleeding and the number of spots that a person has determine the course of action to be taken by the doctors.

Causes of Vitreous Hemorrhage:

Vitreous Hemorrhage may be caused due to the following reasons:

1. Shrinkage and Detachment of Vitreous: With the passage of age, the vitreous gel tends to shrink and pull away from the surface of the retina. Also, if the vitreous is too attached to the retina, it may tear and cause bleeding in the eyes. Due to detachment, blood can enter the retina causing blindness.

2. Injury: An eye injury can also cause Vitreous Hemorrhage. If the injury is directly in the eyeball or a sharp object falls in the eye, it may result in vitreous bleeding which may eventually result in Vitreous Hemorrhage.

3. Diabetes: Diabetic patients with stage 2 diabetes can also have a Vitreous Hemorrhage problem. The lack of oxygen in the retina may cause shrinkage and abnormal bleeding.

Symptoms of Vitreous Hemorrhage:

If the patient is complaining of blurry vision and seeing moving spots in the vision, he/she may be facing the condition called Vitreous Hemorrhage. The moving spots in the vision area are generally called floaters by the doctors. These spots move with the movement of the eye. The patient may also suffer total vision loss if the hemorrhage is severe.

Some of the symptoms of Vitreous Hemorrhage are:

1. Early Vitreous Hemorrhage condition may result in sightings of floaters, cobwebs, and distorted views.

2. Severe vision problems in the morning.

3. Sudden vision loss.

4. Pain in the eye.

Diagnosis of Vitreous Hemorrhage:

If the patient suffers the symptoms of Vitreous Hemorrhage, he/she might need to check his/her eyes with a surgeon. The doctor will thoroughly check his/her eyes for visual acuity, eye fundus exams, and also prescribe for eye ultrasound. The severity of the bleeding determines the type of treatment to be used for a cure. Doctors also check the patient for the amount of bleeding and deposits of blood in the back of the eye.

Treatment of Vitreous Hemorrhage:

If doctors observe that the bleeding is mild, then he may wait and see which approach should be used because mild bleeding stops with time. In this case, doctors wait for the absorption and medicate the patients for 2-3 months.

However, if the doctor has observed the vitreous detachment to be the cause of bleeding, vitrectomy surgery may be performed to treat it. In this surgery, vitreous gel is removed by doctors from the eye of the patient, and a gas bubble is inserted. This surgery is only done on the patients when there is a chance that the retina will not be stressed and can be saved.

Take Away:

Timely and regular follow-ups are strictly recommended by the doctors when a patient has suffered from Vitreous Hemorrhage. It may occur by itself in the future. Hence, it is essential to get regular eye check-ups from your ophthalmologists.