Posterior Segment
Vitreous Haemorrhage
Also known as: vitreous haemorrhage, vitreous hemorrhage, new cobwebs in vision, red haze in vision, sudden floaters with haze, obscured fundus view
Filed as: Emergency
Source-cited from the record's own evidence list. Clinical content programme led by Dr Ankit Mathur, PhD, Grad Cert Ocu Thera, B.S. Optom. How the clinical content is governed
Clinical decision support only
Overview
Blood within the vitreous cavity, presenting with abrupt floaters, a red or dark haze, or reduced vision according to density. The fundus view is obscured in proportion to the bleed, which is itself the difficulty, since a retinal tear or detachment can sit behind it unseen. An obscured view is a reason for urgent retinal referral rather than reassurance, particularly where there is trauma or proliferative diabetic retinopathy in the history.
Recognition
Symptoms: what patients report
- Sudden floaters, often described as cobwebs, black/red spots, or a dark/red haze.
- Blurred vision or red haze may accompany the floaters.
- Symptoms are often unilateral and abrupt.
Signs: what the examination shows
- Reduced or obscured fundus view; retinal tear or detachment must still be excluded.
- Vitreous haze or blood within the vitreous cavity.
- Associated retinal tear, trauma, or diabetic retinopathy may be present.
What OptoGuide™ covers for vitreous haemorrhage
- Pattern reasoning: what this combination of findings points to, and its differentiators
- Don't-miss risks and escalation triggers
- Management tiers with linked Australian therapeutics
- Referral urgency, specialty, and letter drafting
Sources
Standard texts: Kanski's Clinical Ophthalmology: A Systematic Approach, The Wills Eye Manual, Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology, Oxford American Handbook of Ophthalmology, Signs in Ophthalmology: Causes & Differential Diagnosis.