Valsalva maculopathy

Abstract

The Valsalva manoeuvre comprises forcible exhalation against the closed glottis, thereby creating a sudden increase in the intrathoracic or intra-abdominal pressure. A simultaneous rapid rise in intraocular venous pressure may result in the spontaneous rupture of perifoveal capillaries, leading to a characteristic clinical picture of a preretinal haemorrhage in an otherwise healthy eye. The haemorrhage typically occurs at the macula and in the vast majority of cases resolves without compromising visual acuity. Valsalva maculopathy is an isolated and self-limited event. A case of Valsalva maculopathy in a young healthy male attributable to an incontrovertible Valsalva stress associated with weightlifting is presented.