Bilateral periopticointrascleral hemorrhages associated with traumatic child abuse

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral periopticoscleral hemorrhages associ ated with traumatic child abuse. METHODS: Postmortem gross examination and histopathologic studies of both e yes and the optic nerves of a 6-month-old infant who died from subdural hem atoma. RESULTS: Gross examination and histopathologic step sections disclosed bila teral intrascleral hemorrhages around both optic nerves. In addition, bilat eral diffuse multilayered retinal, vitreous, and sublaminar (beneath the in ternal limiting membrane) hemorrhages were present. CONCLUSION: Periopticointrascleral hemorrhages are characteristic of blunt head trauma and may constitute important forensic evidence in cases of susp ected child abuse. (Am J Ophthalmol 1999;127:473-475. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc, All rights reserved.).