ARCHIVES
VOL. 11, ISSUE 1 (2026)
The eye as a window to hematologic malignancy: Acute myeloid leukemia presenting with retinal hemorrhages
Authors
Dr. Bonala Mohammad Arshad, Dr. Sudhakar N A
Abstract
Ocular manifestations are common in leukemia and may occasionally
represent the first sign of an underlying systemic malignancy. These findings
may result either from direct leukemic infiltration or from secondary
hematologic abnormalities such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperviscosity.
We report a 32-year-old male who presented with floaters and blurred vision and
was found to have multiple bilateral preretinal hemorrhages with Roth spots on
fundus examination. Systemic evaluation revealed severe anemia,
thrombocytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, and bone marrow findings consistent with
acute leukemia, later confirmed as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by flow
cytometry. During follow-up after systemic chemotherapy, the patient developed
reduced vision in the left eye with macular changes detected clinically and on
optical coherence tomography. This case highlights the importance of
comprehensive ophthalmic examination in detecting life-threatening systemic
disease and emphasizes the role of ophthalmologists in early diagnosis and
monitoring of leukemia.
Download
Pages:44-45
How to cite this article:
Dr. Bonala Mohammad Arshad, Dr. Sudhakar N A "The eye as a window to hematologic malignancy: Acute myeloid leukemia presenting with retinal hemorrhages". International Journal of Medicine Research, Vol 11, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 44-45
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.