The Pediatric Traumatic Hyphema

The traumatic hyphema, defined as blood in the anterior chamber (AC) of the eye after trauma, occurs at a rate of approximately 17 per 100,000 per year. Between 70% and 75% of these patients are children, with a male-female ratio of at least 3:1. The complications of hyphema include corneal blood staining, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), optic atrophy, and glaucoma. These complications can lead to visual impairment or even blindness. Children are an especially important population of hyphema patients, both because they comprise the majority of patients and because of important considerations in their treatment and management including amblyopia and compliance. This review broadly defines the traumatic hyphema: pathophysiology, classification, examination, complications, medical and surgical management, and long-term issues, with special attention toward the pediatric population.