Absorption of retinal and subretinal hemorrhages

Patients with intra- and subretinal hemorrhages who recovered useful vision from an initially poor visual acuity are described. Three patients with intraretinal hemorrhages all cleared without adverse visual sequelae within four to eight weeks; three patients with subretinal or subpigmental hemorrhages cleared with minimal loss of visual acuity, within three to six months. It seems that the amount of damage done to the retina by an intraretinal or subretinal hemorrhage is related to its size and the ability of ocular tissue to clear the blood. Small amount of hemorrhage in or under the retina is capable of clearing with minimal damage. Subretinal hemorrhage seem to be associated more often with damage to the retina for few possible reasons: (a) direct iron toxicity on the photoreceptors; (b) iron toxicity or mechanical damage to the RPE; (c) cellular migration and proliferation in the subretinal space; (d) proliferation of fibrovascular membrane which may further damage the external retina.