Preretinal/intraretinal hemorrhages: a photographic essay

A 24-year-old Caucasian woman spontaneously developed four hemorrhages, each with a "preretinal" or "subhyaloid" appearance. The largest was in the macular area: the others were more peripheral. The central hemorrhage followed a characteristic pattern of reabsorption, while the peripheral ones followed a different pattern, which seems consistent with the formation of a clot, removal of blood pigments, and ultimate removal of the fibrin. The photographs suggest that the hemorrhage in the macular area had both intra- and pre-retinal components. Aside from a history of lupus erythematosus (which was in remission when the hemorrhages occurred), there was no other apparent ocular or systemic cause for the hemorrhages.