Medical and surgical management of spontaneous hyphaema secondary to immune thrombocytopenia.

The medical and surgical management of an unusual case of spontaneous 'black ball' hyphaema complicated by secondary haemorrhage, raised intraocular pressure and corneal blood staining, and secondary to immune thrombocytopenia is presented. The literature is reviewed with particular reference to the aetiology and treatment of spontaneous hyphaema and the role of intravenous immunoglobulins in the preoperative management of patients with thrombocytopenia who present for routine or emergency ocular surgery.