Bleeding in the eye is known as hyphema. This bleeding occurs in the anterior chamber of the eye. The anterior chamber is the space between the iris and the cornea. Leakage of blood into the aqueous humor causes hyphema. Aqueous humor is the transparent and clear fluid that is present in the anterior chamber of the eye. Initially, a trauma to the eye may cause a small hyphema.
You should always remember that hyphema is a medical emergency that calls for immediate attention. Don’t forget to call your ophthalmologist as soon as you notice any visible signs or symptoms.
Diagnosis of Hyphema
Your ophthalmologist may want to know about your history of eye trauma, if any. He/she may ask you the time and details about the eye injury. For example, it is important to know whether you sustained the injury by running into a low tree branch or while playing baseball. This is followed by a complete eye examination which includes:
- To know how well you can see, a visual acuity test is performed. It is necessary to check the intraocular pressure. This is the pressure present inside the eye structures.
- A slit lamp (microscope) is used to check the structures inside the eye. A hyphema is usually seen as a layered blood or clot in the anterior chamber of the eye. When the entire chamber is filled with blood, it leads to a condition known as “black hyphema” or “eight ball”.
- Your ophthalmologist may recommend a CT scan to check for any structural changes in the bones which form the eye sockets.
Treatment of Hyphema
If you have got a mild case of hyphema, then the accumulated blood will get reabsorbed by the body. But don’t forget to follow your doctor’s instructions. The treatment consists of eye patching and bed rest. Sometimes sedation is suggested to reduce recurrent bleeding and minimize activity.
In severe cases, blood is removed when the intraocular pressure increases. Hospitalization is recommended in these cases.
