Common Causes Of Hyphema

Hyphema is one unsettling condition in which the anterior chamber of the eye (the area in front of the pupil) begins to fill with blood, pooling at the lower part of the eye due to gravity. Hyphema can range in severity from a low point where the presence of blood is subtle enough to avoid being detected by casual examination, or it can be severe to the point where it begins to layer and pool at the bottom of the anterior chamber. In particularly severe cases of hyphema, the anterior chamber will fill completely with blood. This nightmarish, advanced stage is called a blackball or eightball hyphema, denoting the anterior chamber has filled with blood and appears to be black, completely obscuring the pupil and iris. Learn what can cause hyphema now.

Eye Trauma

Eye trauma is the foremost cause of hyphema. The compression caused by trauma can lead to tearing around the anterior chamber, and the presence of blood in the eye. This is accidental in the majority of cases, usually related to an unintentional injury sustained during sports or another physical activity. In this event, the eye socket may also be damaged, and performing a CT scan is prudent. Additionally, nonaccidental trauma can lead to the development of hyphema. If this is suspected, due caution must be advised. While trauma to the eye is the leading cause of hyphema, it's possible for the condition to develop spontaneously.

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Issues With Blood Clotting

An individual who suffers issues with blood clotting, such as a blood clotting disease like hemophilia may develop hyphema without warning or specific cause. Patients with diabetes are also at risk for hyphema, and certain medications that act as blood thinners can increase the risk present for hyphema. This may lead to a mild case of hyphema, in which the blood can be reabsorbed into the body while the eye is protected with an eyepatch and the patient is prescribed with bedrest. Steroid-based eyedrops may be prescribed to help with inflammation and speed recovery, as well, but it must be reiterated over-the-counter anti-inflammatories are likely to exacerbate the condition rather than help. If the anterior chamber fills heavily with blood, the blood in the eye itself may clot and create a blackball hyphema, which must urgently be treated with surgery lest it leaves lasting damage or causes the patient to develop glaucoma.

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