A Rare Case of Vomiting-Induced Retrobulbar Hemorrhage

Savannah Kumar; Tatyana Beketova; Pearl S Rosenbaum; Abha Amin

doi:10.7759/cureus.34839

A Rare Case of Vomiting-Induced Retrobulbar Hemorrhage

Cureus. 2023 Feb 10;15(2):e34839. doi: 10.7759/cureus.34839. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Authors

Savannah Kumar¹, Tatyana Beketova², Pearl S Rosenbaum³, Abha Amin⁴

Affiliations

¹ Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.
³ Department of Ophthalmology/Ophthalmic Pathology and Oncology, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.
⁴ Department of Ophthalmology/Cornea, Refractive Surgery and Glaucoma, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.

Abstract

Retrobulbar hemorrhage may result in sudden accumulation of blood in the retrobulbar space which can lead to an orbital compartment syndrome. This potentially blinding condition is characterized by a rapid increase in intra-orbital pressure. While most commonly associated with orbital trauma, it may rarely occur with Valsalva events in patients on anticoagulants. In this report, we present a case of a retrobulbar hemorrhage secondary to self-induced vomiting, occurring in a patient on no anticoagulation medication.

Keywords: ophthalmology; retrobulbar hemorrhage; subconjunctival hemorrhage; trauma; valsalva.

Publication types

Case Reports