Aetiology of vitreous haemorrhage in Guinness Eye Centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital over a two year period (June 2007-May 2009).

BACKGROUND

The Vitreous Humour is the transparent biological gel which fills the posterior 5/6th of the eyeball. Extravasations of blood into this delicate tissue may cause visual loss.

OBJECTIVE

The study was to determine the causes and pattern of vitreous haemorrhage in Guinness eye centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

METHODS

Retrospective consecutive case series of all patients with Vitreous haemorrhage over a 2 year period (June 2007 - May 2009)

RESULTS

A total of 5137 new patient were seen at Guinness eye centre during the study period. 13 of them had vitreous heamorrhage giving an incidence of 0.25%. 12 of the patients were males. The mean age was 41 year. The age range was from 14years to 69 years. Majority of the patients (69%) presented within 4 weeks of drop in vision. Vitreous heamorrhage was caused by trauma in 46% of the patients and proliferative sickle cell retinopathy in 30% of the patients. All the patients with vitreous haemorrhage due to proliferative sickle cell retinopathy had the Hb genotype SC.

CONCLUSION

Trauma and proliferative sickle cell retinopathy were found to be important causes of vitreous heamorrhage in this case series.