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High altitude retinal hemorrhage: a clinical and pathological case report
Annals of Ophthalmology
|November 1, 1982
Summary
High altitude can cause retinal hemorrhages, particularly with acute mountain sickness and cerebral edema. Hypoxia is the suspected cause of damage to retinal capillaries and veins.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Altitude Medicine
- Pathology
Background:
- Retinal hemorrhages are a known complication of high altitude exposure.
- These hemorrhages are more frequently observed in individuals with acute mountain sickness and high-altitude cerebral edema.
Observation:
- A case study of a 27-year-old man who developed retinal hemorrhages, papilledema, and coma at 5,330 meters.
- The patient passed away four days later, one day after being moved to 1,300 meters.
- Autopsy revealed papilledema and hemorrhages in the retinal nerve fiber layer, with perivascular red blood cell infiltration.
Findings:
- Retinal hemorrhages originated from both capillaries and veins.
- The deeper retinal layers remained unaffected.
- Hemorrhages were observed in areas not directly adjacent to arterioles and venules.
Implications:
- Hypoxia, potentially exacerbated by the Valsalva effect, is hypothesized as the cause of endothelial damage leading to retinal hemorrhages.
- This case highlights the severe ocular manifestations of extreme altitude exposure.