Spontaneous retrobulbar hemorrhage in the setting of warfarin therapy and latent scurvy diagnosis

ABSTRACT

We present a case of spontaneous nontraumatic retrobulbar hemorrhage associated with anti-coagulation therapy and a new diagnosis of scurvy. A 68-year-old male on chronic anti-coagulation therapy presented with a retrobulbar hemorrhage requiring urgent canthotomy and cantholysis. Despite the absence of a supratherapeutic INR and normal clotting factors, the patient continued to have spontaneous hemorrhages within the orbit and elsewhere. Workup revealed a severe vitamin C deficiency consistent with scurvy. Further investigation of dietary history demonstrated an avoidance of all citrus fruit upon starting warfarin due to misunderstanding in medication counseling on avoidance of grapefruit. With repletion of vitamin C and further medication counseling, the patient had no further episodes of spontaneous hemorrhage.

KEYWORDS:

• Retrobulbar hemorrhage
• scurvy
• warfarin

Funding

This work was supported by an unrestricted departmental grant from Research to Prevent Blindness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.