Studies of hemorrhage on the optic disc

The general medical and laboratory findings in 60 patients having a sector hemorrhage on the optic disc were compared with the findings in 102 patients with intraocular pressure elevation but without a disc hemorrhage. Of 22 parameters studied, systemic hypertension was the only abnormality which occurred significantly more frequently in the hemorrhage group. A study of the intraocular pressures suggests that hemorrhage may not be related to the level of intraocular pressure. Examinations of 50 patients with systemic hypertension and of 50 patients with cardiac abnormalities revealed no hemorrhage on the optic disc. These factors by themselves may not be responsible for the occurrence of hemorrhages.