Hard-hitting gym sessions help burn calories and bring you closer to your fitness goals, but it is also equally crucial to maintain caution and train diligently. Many cases of post-gym injuries surface from time to time. Dr Ashish Markan, who is AIIMS Delhi-trained, took to his Instagram on October 7 to highlight one such after-effect that can impact vision. The case concerns a healthy 27-year-old man who reportedly experienced a sudden, painless loss of vision in his right eye after lifting heavy weights at the gym.

What went wrong?

Dr Markan elaborated on the case, revealing that the man experienced a sudden vision issue after performing a deadlift. The doctor further added, “He reported that the visual loss occurred immediately after straining during a deadlift. Visual acuity in the affected eye was counting fingers; the left eye was normal.”

The man underwent a fundus examination, which showed, according to Dr Markan, a dense pre-retinal (subhyaloid) haemorrhage over the macula. B-scan confirmed vitreous haemorrhage. However, no major retinal tears or detachments were detected during evaluation.

Based on the findings, the man was diagnosed with Valsalva retinopathy. Dr Markan elaborated, “ He was diagnosed with valsalva retinopathy, caused by a sudden increase in intrathoracic pressure during the Valsalva manoeuvre, leading to retinal capillary rupture. As the haemorrhage was dense with significant visual impairment, YAG laser hyaloidotomy was considered but eventually managed conservatively.”

Recovery

But within six to eight weeks, the doctor shared good news that the haemorrhage cleared on its own and the patient’s vision improved to (6/6.) The patient was advised to avoid excessive straining during workouts. Dr Markan highlighted, “Valsalva retinopathy typically has a good prognosis with appropriate management.”

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