Causes and risk factors
Depending upon the cause, hyphema is classifies into various types. Traumatic, spontaneous, idiopathic, and postoperative. Traumatic type is caused due to trauma to the eye which causes injury to the internal structures. Deliberate punch on the eyes or being hit by a soccer ball or snow balls or pellets, etc., injure the exposed structures. Hyphema can occur secondary to certain diseases like diabetes mellitus, neoplasm, uveitis, or ischemia. This is called as spontaneous hyphema. Postoperative hyphema can occur as a complication of the intraocular surgery. Accumulation of blood in the anterior chambers can occur due to certain unknown causes. It is termed as idiopathic hyphema.
Clinical presentation:
As the blood accumulates in the anterior chamber, visible blood can be seen in front of the eyes. The eyes become red and sensitive to light. Person cannot bear looking at bright light. Along with this, the vision is also disturbed. Everything appears blurred. Depending upon the filling of the anterior chamber, it has been graded into three types – first the filling of the anterior chamber is less than 1/3rd of the anterior chamber; in the second type, 1/3rd is filled, while in the third type more than half of the chamber is filled with blood. Accumulation of blood in the anterior chamber can lead to complications like glaucoma.
Investigations:
Diagnosis is done on the basis of the symptoms narrated by the patient and the examination carried out by the ophthalmologist. Slit lamp examination is carried out. The pressure of the eye is checked. Investigations like CT scan can be diagnostic.
Treatment:
Usually when the complaints are mild, it resolves on its own within a week. Bedrest and limiting the movement of the eye is advised. Medications which will allay the pain are advised. Along with this, steroid eye drops are also advised. In severe cases, surgical treatment is needed.
Other Modes of treatment:
Certain other modes of treatment can also be helpful in coping up with the disease. Taking into consideration the symptoms in a holistic way, homoeopathy can offer a good aid for the relief of the symptoms. The Ayurvedic system of medicine which uses herbs and synthetic derivates can also be beneficial in combating the complaints.
