Vitreous Haemorrhage

Vitreous haemorrhage is bleeding into the clear jelly inside the eye, which can cause sudden floaters, blurring, or loss of vision depending on how much blood is present.

Common symptoms

Sudden new floaters or dark streaks in vision, hazy or blurred sight, a reddish tint to vision, and in severe cases loss of vision in one eye.

Description

Vitreous haemorrhage happens when blood leaks into the vitreous, the clear gel that fills the back of the eye. The blood blocks light from reaching the retina, so even a small bleed can make vision blurry and full of floaters.

Common causes include diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears, retinal detachment, posterior vitreous detachment, and trauma. Identifying the underlying cause is important because some of these conditions need urgent treatment to prevent lasting damage.

Small bleeds often clear on their own over weeks or months, sometimes with advice to keep the head upright to encourage the blood to settle. Persistent or heavy bleeds, or those with an underlying retinal tear or detachment, may need laser treatment, injections, or surgery such as vitrectomy.