If bleeding has occurred in the subhyaloid space, it appears boat shaped on the surface of the retina. Trauma is the leading cause of vitreous hemorrhage in young people. Assessing and documenting the patient's vision prior to symptoms of hemorrhage is important. Underlying eye disease often provides clues to the cause of hemorrhage. Patients with acute vitreous hemorrhage frequently seek emergency care because the loss of vision is dramatic.
Visual acuity varies with the degree of hemorrhage.
The patient recognizes minimal bleeding as new multiple floaters. Moderate hemorrhage may be described graphically as 1 or more dark streaks that subsequently break up into numerous, minute black spots. Dense hemorrhage can reduce vision to the light perception level. Patients may report visual obstruction changes with eye or head movement and that they tend to try to look around the obstruction. In the absence of trauma, no pain is experienced with vitreous hemorrhage.