What Is Vitreous Hemorrhage?

The curiously named vitreous humor is a gel-like substance found in the eye, between the lens and the retina. The vitreous takes up about two-thirds of eye volume. Should blood leak into the vitreous because of retina blood vessel damage or blockage, it becomes what’s called a vitreous hemorrhage. A person may suffer blurred vision due to the leaked fluid which prevents light from properly passing into the eye.

Similar to retinal detachment, there is no pain associated with a vitreous hemorrhage, so it’s important to be aware of the symptoms. These symptoms may include floaters, a sudden blur in vision, and even a sudden loss of vision in extreme cases. Vision may appear worse during the morning hours due to the blood settling towards the back of the eye at night.

Several factors can cause vitreous hemorrhage, including diabetic retinopathy, trauma (the leading cause), retinal detachment, or posterior vitreous detachment. Age-related macular degeneration is another cause, albeit less common.

In mild cases, vitreous hemorrhage does not require treatment as the eye is capable of healing itself. More severe cases resulting in retinal detachment may require surgery.

This information is presented by Retina Macula Specialists of Miami, the largest private retina practice in the city. We are a nationally acclaimed retina practice dedicated to the medical and surgical management of vitreoretinal diseases. Each of our extensively trained doctors is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and ready to help treat eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy treatment, retinal detachment, age-related macular degeneration, vitreous hemorrhage treatment, and more. We have three convenient locations in Miami, Coral Gables, and North Miami Beach. For contact information or to request an appointment, please visit https://www.retinamaculamiami.com.