Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) is a bleeding diathesis that may occur as a result of numerous pathological states. It is known to cause a myriad of ocular and histopathologic manifestations. We present a case of a patient without a known history of a clotting disorder or anticoagulant use who had a spontaneous choroidal hemorrhage that led to the discovery of DIC.
An eighty-nine year-old Caucasian man presented with a one week history of acute loss of vision in his right eye. The ocular history included cataract surgery bilaterally with posterior chamber intraocular lens placement twenty years ago. His past medical history included hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and colon cancer status post partial colectomy eight years ago. His medications were metoprolol 50 mg daily and a combivent inhaler as needed.