Introduction
Subconjunctival hemorrhage (SCH) is acute bleeding with sharp borders
underneath the conjunctiva. It is often a cause of concern in patients
and is therefore one of the most common reasons for referral to
ophthalmology clinics from primary care[1,2]. It is
usually unilateral and the region and size of
the bleeding vary according to the etiology. Fukuyama et al reported the incidence of SCH as 2.9%[3]. Although the most common cause for SCH is
trauma and contact lens-induced injury in younger patients, among older
patients it is mostly associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus
and anticoagulant usage [4,5]. Despite all these
reasons, the cause of most cases remains unexplained. Bleeding disorders
are frequently reported to play a role in the etiology of SCH, but few
studies have investigated the prevalence and clinical significance[3]. In addition to anticoagulant and antiaggregant
usage, immune thrombocytopenia and congenital bleeding disorders have
been reported in a few studies as hemostatic alterations at the etiology
of SCH [6-9].
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of congenital or
acquired bleeding disorders in patients with once or recurrent SCH and
to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with SCH
presenting to Ophthalmology Division.