Loss of vision from distant haemorrhage: report of four cases

To describe the occurrence of visual loss from ischaemia of the optic nerve following distant haemorrhages. Four patients who sustained vision loss following distant haemorrhage, presenting to the neuro-ophthalmic clinic of the department of Ophthalmology, Addis Ababa University, from 1995 to 1997 were evaluated. The clinical presentation, management and prognosis are discussed. Post-haemorrhagic vision loss, other than being a rare occurrence, is under-reported due to the fact that these patients are very sick with massive blood loss and hence little attention is given to the vision loss by attending physicians and sometimes even the patients themselves. It is hoped that this paper will increase awareness about this condition among physicians attending to patients with severe bleeding and thus facilitate early diagnosis and referral.