Retinal Hemorrhage

Understanding Retinal Hemorrhage

What is Retinal Hemorrhage? A retinal hemorrhage is when one or more blood vessels in the retina leak or burst, leading to bleeding within the retinal layers. This bleeding can interfere with vision, as the retina is crucial for capturing and processing visual information.

Symptoms to Look Out For

• Sudden Vision Loss or Blurriness: Especially if it occurs in one eye.
• Floaters: New floaters or an increase in existing floaters, which appear as small dark shapes in your vision.
• Visual Field Loss: A part of your field of vision may appear dark or empty.
• In some cases, there might be no noticeable symptoms initially.

Common Causes of Retinal Hemorrhage

• Diabetes: Leading to diabetic retinopathy, a major cause of retinal bleeding.
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Can cause damage to the retina’s blood vessels.
• Eye Trauma: Injuries to the eye can result in bleeding.
• Blood Vessel Abnormalities: Conditions like retinal vein occlusion.
• Blood Disorders: Including those that affect clotting or cause excessive bleeding.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• Diagnosis: Through a comprehensive eye exam, including dilating the pupils to examine the retina.
• Treatment: Depends on the underlying cause. It may involve managing diabetes or hypertension, laser surgery, or injections into the eye.

Prevention and Monitoring

• Regular eye exams are crucial, especially if you have risk factors like diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Immediate medical attention if you experience sudden changes in vision.

Retinal hemorrhages can lead to serious complications if not treated, so it’s important to identify and manage the underlying cause. Regular monitoring and treatment can help preserve vision and prevent further damage to the retina.