Bilateral subinternal limiting membrane hemorrhage in benzene toxicity

• Published in: Retinal cases & brief reports Vol. 8; no. 4; pp. 276 - 278
• Main Authors: Hong, Bryan K, Baranano, Anne E, Sadda, Srinivas R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2014
• Subjects: Basement Membrane - pathology; Benzene - toxicity; Humans; Male; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Pancytopenia - chemically induced; Retinal Hemorrhage - chemically induced; Thrombocytopenia - chemically induced; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1935-1089; 1937-1578
• DOI: 10.1097/ICB.0000000000000084

To report the clinical and spectral domain optical coherence tomography findings in a patient with bilateral central vision loss and a history of exposure to polyamides.
The clinical presentation of the patient was documented with color fundus photographs and spectral domain optical coherence tomography. The patient was a 20-year-old male factory worker with no medical history who was initially admitted for workup of hematologic malignancy due to petechiae and fevers.
Optical coherence tomography revealed bilateral hemorrhages in the subinternal limiting membrane space resembling Valsalva retinopathy. Complete blood count revealed pancytopenia and marked thrombocytopenia.
Heavy exposure to benzene, a byproduct of the polyamide-curing process, is known to cause aplastic anemia. Accompanying thrombocytopenia may increase the risk of spontaneous subinternal limiting membrane hemorrhage.