Eye Hemorrhage

[Hoag]

Easy enough to diagnose after the fact but I am sure at the time, given the injury, they were concerned about internal trauma to the eye as well. Glad to hear it turned out well and I bet there is an interesting story there too.

As far as an interesting story yes there is. The "Readers' Digest" version is never play full contact floor hockey in tennis shoes on a curling rink when the closest medical attention is a 3 hour flight on a jet away.

 

[Diver4242]

Thanks for all of the input. I got more info from the optometrist who saw this (on one of the new gizmos they have when you get an eye exam that takes pics of the eye). He said this is a large splinter hemorrhage on the retina in back of my eye. Does that rule out diving/mask squeeze as the cause?

 

[Diver4242]

I've seen posts on this topic where someone says something to the effect that since there's no gasses in the eye, it's not subject to diving squeeze/gas effects as are the lungs, etc. But there's blood vessels in the eye, which contain gasses, so in terms of this situation (retinal hemorrhage) it could be as a result of a squeeze or unplanned rapid ascent?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Thanks for all of the input. I got more info from the optometrist who saw this (on one of the new gizmos they have when you get an eye exam that takes pics of the eye). He said this is a large splinter hemorrhage on the retina in back of my eye. Does that rule out diving/mask squeeze as the cause?

I think that this is probably unrelated to diving. If you had a bad enough mask squeeze to cause a retinal hemorrhage you'd have looked like you'd gone a couple of rounds with Mike Tyson.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Leighen]

so in terms of this situation (retinal hemorrhage) it could be as a result of a squeeze or unplanned rapid ascent?

No.

A retinal hemorrhage typically points to a serious underlying systemic problem- unrelated to diving or the eyes (even though the signs manifest themselves withing the eye). You need to rule out the possibility of a blood clotting issue, underlying blood disorder such as anemia, a platelet disorder or even leukemia; diabetes, hypertension or a multitude of other medical conditions.

A broken blood vessel on the retina can mean subsequentbroken blood vessels elsewhere in your body- which means the oxygenated blood isn't getting to where it needs to be. If it happens on the arterial side of circulation, in your brain, it's called a stroke.

Diving is the least of your concerns and may exacerbate the clinical signs of one (or more) of the above mentioned differential diagnoses.

 

[Oitzu]

After reading that it is an retinal hemorrhage, i want to revoke my previous comment.

 

[gert7to3]

Diver 4242,
Have you been examined and tested to determine how you developed your retinal hemorrhage? Getting on the thread a bit late, however the type of hemorrhage can be indicative of the cause. So-called splinter hemes or disk hemorrhages are associated with glaucoma.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I am assuming the hemorrhage was seen when the inside the eye was examined?

Forceful sneezing, cough, vomiting, even rubbing can cause hemorrhages over the white part of the eye as can mask squeeze. Blood thinners increases the risk. This form of bleeding, if isolated, is harmless.

Bleeding inside the eye is different and more significant and beyond my scope. I can tell you that when I had an eye issue, virtuous detachment, I was not restricted from diving since the eye does not contain any air space so does not compress. So it would seem that the eye would be at no more risk from dive compression injury then any other organ of the body. One exception as noted with a subconjunctival hemorrhage above, is with a severe mask squeeze that more cause deeper injury to the eye as well.

This article is a bit dated but might have some useful info for you until DDM or an eye doc comes along.

High-Pressure Ophthalmology — DAN | Divers Alert Network — Medical Dive Article

I'm sorry about the detachment but pleased to read it was virtuous.

(Sorry, couldn't help myself, lol)

I've had the vitreous detachment too. First eye was on a Belize diving trip. I kept swatting at a pesky little black bug that wouldn't leave me be. It took a couple of days to realize that it was my eye. I've since had it in the other eye as well and have been on innumerable dive trips since the beginning of this. Yes, twas scary initially and certainly remains annoying to this day.

Anyway, sorry, probably not helpful.

@Diver4242 , what's the latest please?

 

[uncfnp]

I'm sorry about the detachment but pleased to read it was virtuous.

(Sorry, couldn't help myself, lol)

I've had the vitreous detachment too. First eye was on a Belize diving trip. I kept swatting at a pesky little black bug that wouldn't leave me be. It took a couple of days to realize that it was my eye. I've since had it in the other eye as well and have been on innumerable dive trips since the beginning of this. Yes, twas scary initially and certainly remains annoying to this day.

Anyway, sorry, probably not helpful.

@Diver4242 , what's the latest please?

I wouldn’t last half a day on the job as a proof reader!

Most of my adult life I’ve had significant floaters and it was worse with this but what made me realize something was different were arcs of light when I looked to the side.

 

[Diver4242]

@Diver4242 , what's the latest please?

I reported this to my primary doc, who said he wanted to do a battery of blood tests before bringing me in and sending me to a retinologist. I had those done last week, so hoping for some results this coming week. I'll report back.

For those that have experienced this, is pain in that eye a normal associated symptom? Any problem with diving in the meantime? We're almost at end of season here at Dutch Springs and I'd like to get another dive in this week. Folks are reporting exceptionally clear visibility!