Hematological Disorders

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Anemias & Ocular Signs - Pale Views

  • Conjunctival pallor: Most common; check lower palpebral conjunctiva.
  • Fundoscopic Changes (due to retinal hypoxia):
    • Generalized retinal pallor.
    • Retinal hemorrhages: All layers; flame-shaped (NFL), dot & blot (INL/OPL).
    • Cotton wool spots (CWS): Focal ischemia causing axoplasmic debris.
    • Roth spots: Hemorrhages with white centers (platelet-fibrin, cells).
    • Venous tortuosity and dilation.
    • Optic disc edema: Seen in severe anemia (e.g., Hb < 5-7 g/dL).
  • Pernicious Anemia (B12 deficiency): May cause optic neuropathy. Fundus findings in severe anemia

⭐ In severe chronic anemia, particularly with Hb levels below 5 g/dL, bilateral retinal hemorrhages and even papilledema can occur due to a combination of hypoxia and hyperdynamic circulation.

Leukemias/Lymphomas - Eye Infiltrates

  • Leukemic Retinopathy: Commonest ocular finding.
    • Features: Retinal hemorrhages (all layers), cotton wool spots, Roth spots.
    • Vascular changes: Venous dilation/tortuosity, perivascular sheathing.
    • Peripheral neovascularization (rare).
  • Direct Infiltration by Leukemic Cells:
    • Orbit: Proptosis (esp. AML - chloroma/granulocytic sarcoma; childhood ALL).
    • Uvea: Iritis, pseudohypopyon (leukemic cells), diffuse choroidal infiltration (yellowish-pink).
    • Optic Nerve: Swelling, infiltration, subsequent atrophy.
  • Lymphoma-Specific:
    • Primary Intraocular Lymphoma (PIOL): Often B-cell, associated with CNS lymphoma. Presents as chronic uveitis, vitritis, sub-RPE infiltrates; a masquerade syndrome.
    • Orbital Lymphoma: Typically painless proptosis in older adults. Leukemic retinopathy with Roth spots

⭐ Optic nerve infiltration in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) can be an early sign of CNS relapse and carries a poor prognosis.

Hyperviscosity & Polycythemia - Thick Blood, Bad Sight

  • Pathophysiology: ↑ blood viscosity (hyperviscosity syndromes like Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, multiple myeloma) or ↑ RBC mass (polycythemia vera) → impaired microcirculation.
  • Ocular Features (often bilateral):
    • Retinal Veins: Dilation, tortuosity, segmentation ("sausage-link" or "boxcar" appearance).
    • Fundus: Dark red/plethoric (esp. polycythemia), retinal hemorrhages (flame, dot/blot), cotton wool spots, microaneurysms.
    • Optic Disc: Papilledema, hyperemic disc.
    • Vascular Occlusions: ↑ risk of CRVO, BRVO, CRAO.
    • Symptoms: Blurred vision, transient visual obscurations (amaurosis fugax), diplopia.
    • Anterior Segment: Conjunctival sludging, plethora, secondary glaucoma (rare). Fundus: Retinal venous tortuosity and hemorrhages

    ⭐ "Sausage-link" appearance (fundus varicosities) of retinal veins is a classic sign of hyperviscosity retinopathy.

Bleeding & Clotting Issues - Hemorrhage Havoc

  • Thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 150,000/μL):
    • Retinal hemorrhages (dot, blot, flame-shaped)
    • Subconjunctival hemorrhage
    • Roth spots (hemorrhage with white center)
    • Vitreous hemorrhage (rare)
    • Hyphema
  • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC):
    • Widespread microvascular thrombosis & secondary fibrinolysis.
    • Ocular: Similar to thrombocytopenia; choroidal infarcts, exudative retinal detachment.
    • Often bilateral, severe visual loss.

Retinal hemorrhages in thrombocytopenia

⭐ Roth spots, though non-specific, are classically associated with bacterial endocarditis but can be seen in various hematological disorders causing retinal hemorrhages, including leukemia and severe anemia.

  • Other coagulopathies (e.g., Hemophilia, Von Willebrand disease):
    • Spontaneous subconjunctival hemorrhage
    • Orbital hematoma (post-trauma risk ↑)
    • Hyphema

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Sickle Cell Retinopathy: Sea-fan neovascularization is pathognomonic; also salmon-patch hemorrhages, black sunbursts.
  • Leukemia: Key signs: Roth spots, retinal hemorrhages, optic nerve infiltration, sometimes proptosis.
  • Severe Anemia: Presents with pale conjunctiva, retinal hemorrhages, and cotton wool spots.
  • Polycythemia Vera: Features conjunctival/retinal plethora, engorged tortuous veins, and possible papilledema.
  • Hyperviscosity Syndromes (Myeloma, Waldenström's): Cause retinopathy with venous tortuosity ("sausage-link" appearance), hemorrhages.
  • Thrombocytopenia: Associated with subconjunctival and retinal hemorrhages.

Practice Questions: Hematological Disorders

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Which of the following is the most common myeloproliferative disorder?

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Flashcards: Hematological Disorders

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_____ nodule seen at the anterior surface of the iris in anterior uveitis

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_____ nodule seen at the anterior surface of the iris in anterior uveitis

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