Spontaneous bleeding from a normal-appearing iris: an unusual cause of atypical amaurosis fugax.

Abstract

Amaurosis fugax, or fleeting loss of vision, is often attributed to embolic retinovascular disease. In this setting, there is appropriate concern for associated cerebrovascular complications. Extensive and expensive vascular evaluation may be indicated. Less often, local ocular abnormalities may mimic embolic visual loss. We describe a case of sudden, transient, monocular visual loss in a 67-year-old woman caused by Valsalva-induced intraocular bleeding from a seemingly normal iris.