Vitreous Hemorrhage

A vitreous hemorrhage occurs when blood leaks into the vitreous—the clear, gel-like substance filling the back of the eye. Even a relatively small amount of blood can interfere with light reaching the retina, while a significant hemorrhage may cause extremely poor, cloudy or dark vision.

Because vitreous hemorrhage may be associated with retinal tears, retinal detachment, diabetic eye disease or eye trauma, sudden changes in vision require prompt evaluation by a retina specialist.

If you experience sudden vision loss, a rapid increase in floaters, flashes of light or a dark curtain in your vision, contact Meadows Eye immediately.

What Are the Symptoms of a Vitreous Hemorrhage?

Vitreous hemorrhage is usually painless and commonly affects one eye. Symptoms can appear suddenly and may include:

A sudden increase in floaters
Dark spots, lines or cobweb-like shapes
Hazy, cloudy or reddish vision
Shadows moving across the visual field
Severely reduced or dark vision
Flashes of light
Sudden vision loss

The severity of the symptoms depends on the amount and location of the bleeding. A mild hemorrhage may appear as new floaters, while a dense hemorrhage can significantly block vision.

What Causes a Vitreous Hemorrhage?

A vitreous hemorrhage can result from several eye conditions or injuries. Common causes include:

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetes can damage retinal blood vessels and cause the growth of fragile, abnormal vessels. These vessels may rupture and bleed into the vitreous, sometimes severely blocking vision.

Retinal tears and retinal detachment

The vitreous gel naturally changes and separates from the retina with age. In some cases, it pulls hard enough to tear the retina and damage a retinal blood vessel. A retinal tear can progress to retinal detachment if it is not treated promptly.

Eye trauma

A direct injury to the eye or head can damage blood vessels, tear the retina or cause bleeding inside the eye. Anyone experiencing vision changes following an injury should receive an urgent examination.

Retinal vein occlusion

A blockage in one of the retina’s veins may cause blood and fluid to leak into the retina or vitreous.

Other causes

Less common causes include abnormal retinal blood vessels, inflammation, age-related macular degeneration, complications following eye surgery and certain blood disorders.