The inside of your eye is filled with a clear, gel-like substance called the vitreous humour. This gel helps the eye maintain its round shape and allows light to pass clearly through to the retina at the back. When blood leaks into this clear gel, it causes a condition known as a vitreous haemorrhage. This bleeding blocks light from reaching the retina, resulting in sudden, painless vision blurring or the appearance of dark, drifting spots in your sight.
What Causes a Vitreous Haemorrhage?
A vitreous haemorrhage is not a standalone disease. It is a symptom of an underlying vascular or structural issue within the eye. Identifying the precise cause is the first step in determining the correct medical response.
The most frequent cause is diabetic retinopathy. Over time, high blood sugar damages the delicate blood vessels in the retina. In response, the eye grows abnormal, fragile new vessels that rupture and bleed very easily. Another common trigger is a retinal tear or detachment. As the vitreous gel naturally shrinks and pulls away from the retina during ageing, it can tug on a blood vessel or tear the retinal tissue itself, causing sudden bleeding. Less frequently, a blockage in the retinal veins or physical trauma to the eye can lead to a haemorrhage.
Initial Assessment and Conservative Monitoring
When you first experience a haemorrhage, an urgent, comprehensive eye examination is vital. A specialist must evaluate the back of the eye to ensure the underlying retina remains intact and has not detached.
If the retina is healthy and secure, the initial treatment strategy is often conservative monitoring. Blood inside the vitreous gel frequently clears on its own over several weeks or months. During this observation period, you will be advised to rest with your head elevated on extra pillows, particularly during sleep. This position allows the blood to settle at the bottom of the eye, away from your central line of vision, improving your sight and allowing the specialist to see the retina more clearly during follow-up checks.
Active Surgical and Medical Interventions
If the blood does not clear naturally, or if the underlying cause requires immediate repair, more active treatments are necessary.
- Vitrectomy Surgery: This is the definitive surgical treatment for persistent bleeding. A specialist performs a micro-incision procedure to gently remove the blood-stained vitreous gel from the eye. The gel is replaced with a clear medical fluid, instantly clearing the optical pathway. This allows the surgeon to directly treat any retinal issues found during the operation.
- Laser Photocoagulation: If abnormal, leaking blood vessels from diabetes or vein blockages are causing the bleed, targeted laser treatment can seal them. This stops active bleeding and prevents future leaks.
- Anti-VEGF Injections: Medications injected into the eye can shrink abnormal, fragile blood vessels, helping to stop bleeding and reduce swelling at the back of the eye.
Expert Retinal Care with Miss Anna Grabowska
Managing a condition like a vitreous haemorrhage requires the expertise of a dedicated retinal specialist. Miss Anna Grabowska is an experienced substantive Consultant Ophthalmologist and Vitreoretinal Surgeon at King’s College Hospital, London. Having subspecialised in advanced retinal surgery and medical retina at the prestigious Moorfields Eye Hospital, she is highly skilled in both diagnosing the root cause of ocular bleeding and performing delicate vitrectomy procedures.
Miss Grabowska understands how alarming a sudden loss of vision can be. She provides thorough, reassuring assessments at her private clinics based at the London Lauriston Clinic, the Guthrie Clinic, and The Battersea Clinic Limited. Her approach prioritises patient clarity. She explains all treatment options fully in plain English.
Book a Private Consultation Today
A sudden increase in floaters, cobweb-like lines, or a dark shadow across your sight requires immediate professional evaluation. Early diagnosis is the most effective way to safeguard your long-term eyesight and prevent permanent damage. Contact us today to book an appointment and find out more about treatment options available.