Correlation Between Recurrent Subconjunctival Hemorrhages and Conjunctivochalasis by Clinical Profile and Successful Surgical Outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the clinical profile of patients with recurrent subconjunctival hemorrhages (SCHs) and evaluate the effect of conjunctivochalasis (CCh) surgery on disease recurrences.


METHODS
Three hundred and sixty-two patients with SCHs (mean age, 56.4±16.0 years) were enrolled in this multicenter epidemiologic study. The severity of CCh, lifestyle at the time of SCH onset, and the frequency of previous SCHs were compared. Thirty-eight patients with 2 or more episodes of SCHs (mean age, 68.2±8.9 years) underwent surgery for CCh. The effectiveness of surgery was evaluated by comparing the frequency of SCH preoperatively and postoperatively.


RESULTS
Patients with three or more recurrent SCHs showed a significantly (P=0.003) higher grade of CCh and tended to be engaged in activities that require visual concentration, such as watching a visual display terminal, knitting, reading, and driving. More than 80% of eyes that underwent surgery to CCh showed no recurrence of the hemorrhages, and the frequency of SCH significantly (P<0.0001) decreased postoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate or severe CCh and activities that may cause dry eye can be considered to be risk factors for recurrent SCHs. Surgery to treat CCh is a useful option for patients with frequent recurrences of SCHs.
Department of Ophthalmology (Y.Y., M.O., A.S., M.Y., T.U., K.H., Y.O.), Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan; and Department of Ophthalmology (N.Y., K.I., S.K.), Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Yasuaki
Y
Yamamoto
Norihiko
N
Yokoi
Miki
M
Ogata
Atsushi
A
Shiraishi
Masahiko
M
Yamaguchi
Toshihiko
T
Uno
Kayoko
K
Inagaki
Kozaburo
K
Hayashi
Shigeru
S
Kinoshita
Yuichi
Y
Ohashi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000601:surgery; D005130:Eye Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult