Your eye care specialist will classify a retinal hemorrhage based on where it develops on your retina. Additionally, they might refer to the hemorrhage based on its shape or what it looks like. A retinal hemorrhage can also be multilayered — a retinal hemorrhage that affects more than one part of your retina.
The most common types of retinal hemorrhages include:
- Intraretinal hemorrhages: Intraretinal hemorrhages are tears or breaks in the tissue of your retina itself. They’re sometimes called dot-and-blot hemorrhages.
- Retinal nerve fiber layer hemorrhages: The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) is the group of nerve cells that connect your retina to your optic nerve. Flame hemorrhages, disc or Drance hemorrhages and splinter hemorrhages all affect the RNFL.
- Preretinal hemorrhages: Preretinal hemorrhages are tears in the membrane that separates your vitreous cavity from your retina. They’re sometimes referred to as boat-shaped or D-shaped hemorrhages.
- Vitreous hemorrhages: Your eyeballs are filled with vitreous gel — a gel made of water and collagen. Vitreous hemorrhages happen when your retina bleeds into the vitreous cavity in your eye.