Haemorrhage or bleeding into the vitreous jelly within the eye is known vitreous haemorrhage .

The vitreous jelly is the fluid like jelly which fills the back four-fifths of the eye. Haemorrhaging into this part of the eye results in anything from a few small tadpole like floaters through to complete loss of vision in the eye. Such vitreous haemorrhages will frequently go away on their own over a period of weeks and months. In other cases the retina needs laser treatment which cannot be given because the blood in the vitreous cavity gets in the way.

Alternatively the haemorrhage may fail to clear or will partly clear and then recur. In the above circumstances a vitrectomy operation may be recommended. This operation involves going inside the eye, removing the jelly from inside the eye and making sure that the retina has received enough laser treatment. Vitrectomy operations for vitreous haemorrhage tend to be successful in that they clear the blood from the back of the eye and improve the vision.

Some people are aware of blood in the eye immediately after the operation, this usually clears and in others there can be further bleeds months to years later. If needs be, further surgery can be done in order to prevent such re-bleeds.

There are other complications of vitrectomy for vitreous haemorrhage, these are retinal detachment, infection and either development or worsening of cataract progression. Overall the need for a second operation is quite low (about 5%-7%) and the benefit of treatment is usually considered to outweigh the risk.



Pic : A diabetic eye showing extensive growth of new vessels and haemorrhage (which is both black and red) into the vitreous cavity. This eye will need a vitrectomy operation to improve the vision and prevent severe visual loss.