Unexplained Retinal Haemorrhage

[shuttermonkey]

I'm a healthy male of 26.  I'm not hugely active but I have no physical health problems, and I'm a healthy weight for my height (BMI of 19).  Last Thursday evening I noticed a small black spot in the peripheral vision of my right eye: in the bottom right corner.  It was present on Friday, and on Saturday I saw an optomerist.  He gave me a full exam and took photographs of the back of my eye using new technology.  The photos were very healthy and my eyesight was very good (only a prescription of -0.25 for sphere and cylinder on both eyes).  

When he dilated my pupils with drops and used an ophthalmoscope he was able to see a small retinal haemorrhage in the area I'd described.  He told me he wasn't overly worried, but couldn't give a reason as to why it happened.  He said it could just be "one of those things".  He referred me to a specialist eye clinic, and I went there today.

Two doctors examined my eye and although they could see the haemorrhage - leakage from which is already starting to be reabsorbed - but neither could give me a reason as to why it might have happened.  The more experienced dr found it very strange that this would have happened spontaneously and without any trauma.  They told me they weren't overly worried and sent me away.

What could cause something like this to happen? From reading online, it would seem that common causes are either high blood pressure (which they checked, and was fine), diabetes, and trauma.  I saw my family doctor this afternoon who also wasn't worried, given my age and general health; but she did agree to a diabetes test.  She didn't think it was likely I have diabetes, given that I'm displaying no other symptoms.

I'm reluctant to dismiss this as "one of those things" because I'm worried it's caused by something underlying.  Any ideas?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Well you have already seen a retinal specialist so no definite disease process was seen.  It is most likely that you may have sneezed or coughed or strained and caused a spontaneous hemorrhage in a retinal vessel.  If you had some sort of bleeding tendancy you would expect to have much more symptoms like easy bruising or bleeding gums etc.  Keep in touch with your retinal specialist.  YOu should be in good hands there.

MJK MD

[shuttermonkey]

Incidentally, I have recently ceased taking Propranolol for anxiety.  The last time I took it was nearly three weeks ago.  I'm still facing the anxious situations on a daily basis, but I'm better now than I was before I started taking them.