Spontaneous sub-conjunctival haemorrhage in patients using long-term topical corticosteroids
K Mercieca1, C Sanghvi, N P Jones
1Department of Ophthalmology, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester, UK. doctormercieca@yahoo.com
Purpose:
to investigate the observed high prevalence of spontaneous sub-conjunctival haemorrhage (SCH) in patients using long-term topical steroid treatment.
Patients And Methods:
a cross sectional survey of the occurrence of SCH was carried out in 248 patients using steroid eye drops and in a comparison group of 113 patients using topical glaucoma medication.
Results:
twenty-four patients with uveitis (10% of total) experienced single or recurrent SCH. Of these 71% used prednisolone acetate 1% (compared with 75% for those unaffected). None of 113 glaucoma patients were affected.
Conclusions:
the long-term use of topical steroid for chronic uveitis substantially increases the prevalence of spontaneous or minimal-trauma SCH. Steroid-induced vascular fragility is the likely cause.