Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
Suprachoroidal hemorrhage is bleeding into the space between the choroid and the sclera. It most often happens during or after intraocular surgery, though trauma or spontaneous bleeding can also occur. The bleeding can push internal eye tissues forward and can cause a rapid drop in vision. This condition needs urgent care because permanent vision loss can occur.
read more about suprachoroidal hemorrhage ...Suprachoroidal hemorrhage often occurs when a sudden change in eye pressure tears choroidal blood vessels during surgery. Risk rises with glaucoma, high myopia, aphakia, and a history of prior eye surgery. Systemic factors such as older age, high blood pressure, and blood-thinning medicine can increase bleeding risk. Delayed hemorrhage can also develop in the hours or days after surgery, especially when pressure swings or wound leaks occur. A surgeon reviews eye and medical risk factors before procedures to lower the chance of this complication.
During surgery, warning signs include sudden severe eye pain, a firm eye, and rapid shallowing of the front chamber. After surgery, symptoms can include intense pain, nausea, and a sudden decrease in vision. The eye can look red and swollen, and the pupil can respond poorly to light. Some cases present mainly as unexplained vision loss with rising eye pressure. Any severe pain or sudden vision change after eye surgery needs same-day evaluation.
Diagnosis starts with an urgent eye exam that checks vision, eye pressure, and the front and back of the eye. When the view is limited by blood or corneal haze, B-scan ultrasound is often used to confirm a suprachoroidal collection. Imaging helps estimate size, location, and whether choroidal tissue is touching in the center (appositional choroidals). The exam also checks for related problems such as wound leak, inflammation, or retinal detachment. Repeat exams track stability while the blood clots and then begins to liquefy.
Immediate management focuses on stabilizing the eye and controlling pain and pressure. Intraoperative cases are managed by quickly closing incisions and restoring a stable eye pressure environment. After surgery, pressure-lowering drops, cycloplegic drops, and anti-inflammatory medicine are often used based on the exam. Surgical drainage can be considered when the hemorrhage is large or appositional, often after clot liquefaction, under retina specialist guidance. Follow-up is close because the condition can worsen quickly and can be linked with retinal detachment.
Yes. Suprachoroidal hemorrhage can threaten vision quickly and needs urgent evaluation. Rapid pain and sudden vision loss after eye surgery should be treated as an emergency. Prompt care helps guide pressure control and next steps.
Yes, though it is rare with modern techniques. It can happen during surgery or in the early postoperative period as delayed hemorrhage. Risk is higher in eyes with glaucoma, high myopia, or other risk factors. Any sudden pain or vision drop after surgery needs same-day care.
Suprachoroidal hemorrhage is bleeding in the suprachoroidal space. Choroidal effusion is fluid buildup in the same space, often linked with low eye pressure or inflammation. An exam and ultrasound help separate blood from fluid. Treatment plans differ because hemorrhage can behave more aggressively.
Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage. EyeWiki. https://eyewiki.org/Suprachoroidal_Hemorrhage. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Management of Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage. American Academy of Ophthalmology (EyeNet). https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/management-of-suprachoroidal-hemorrhage. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Intraocular Hemorrhage. StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567779/. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Management of Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage during Cataract Surgery. PubMed Central (PMC). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8874261/. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage. Glaucoma Today. https://glaucomatoday.com/articles/2023-mar-apr/suprachoroidal-hemorrhage. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.