Contributor: Gordon K. Klintworth
Hyphema has many causes. Most cases in adults result from trauma or iris neovascularization [neovascularization - iris]; in children spontaneous hyphema may be caused by retinoblastoma or juvenile xanthogranuloma. Blood in the anterior chamber gravitates to the most dependent part forming a horizontal line of demarcation from the clear aqueous humor. Complications of hyphema include blood staining of the corneal stroma and various types of glaucoma [glaucoma - ghost cell, glaucoma - hemorrhagic, glaucoma - hemolytic].