Subconjunctival Hemorrhage Multicentric Study

Abstract

Purpose: : to evaluate subconjunctival hemorrhage (SH) systemic factor association, clinical characteristics and its therapeutic management.

Methods: : a prospective, observational, multicentric clinical study, was performed in 2 visits (0 and two weeks after) during 4 months (from june to september 2009), in 10 centers from Peru, Spain and Argentine. Demographic and lifestyle data (age, sex, work activity "indoor/outdoor"; weekly physical activity, body mass index "BMI"), general & ocular history, SH clinical manifestation & treatment were assessed.

Results: : 195 cases (men: 52.8%; women: 47.2%) were studied. Mean age: 55 years old. Work activity: 57% indoor job (office), 14% outdoor job and 29 % mixed conditions. Exercise: nothing 64%; 3 times a week 28%, more than that 8%. BMI: <18.5(underweight): 1.5%; 18.5-24.9 (normal): 42.5%; 25-29.9 (overweight): 43.6%; >30 (obesity): 12.3%. General history: blood hypertension 41.3%; diabetes 10%; hyperlipidemic 9.4%. Psychical stress previous to the SH: 43.5%; physical stress previous to the SH: 12%.Patients were noticed about SH in the morning (68.2%), at night (12.8%) during the day (18%); when they've looked at the mirrow (48%) or because other person told him 40.8% and only 10.5% have got symptoms. Clinically, the more frecuent location was at nasal (25.6%) or temporal inferior areas (19.3%). At visit 2, ocular sign of SH still was present in 20% of cases.Management: no treatment was indicated in 44.6%; artificial tears: 33.8%; saline solution: 14.3%; anti-inflammatory topical drugs (steroidal plus non-steroidal): 5%; another 2.3%.

Conclusions: : SH were more frequent in sedentary lifestyle group, with previous psychical stress situations. Patients noticed about it in the morning, without symptoms and most of the cases resolved in two weeks.

Keywords: conjunctiva • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment • cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye