Malignant hypertension affects less than 1% of people with high blood pressure, and is a hypertensive emergency. It is rare for patients to present initially with this form of elevated blood pressure, which is almost always associated with acute target organ damage, which can manifest in many forms including ocular, neurological, cardiac and renal. This treatable condition is associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality therefore, early detection and immediate management is of paramount importance.
The presenting signs of acute leukaemia occur as a result of bone marrow failure and organ infiltration. Increased bleeding tendencies are seen on the skin, gums and mucosal lining. Bleeding in the posterior segment of the eye, namely the retina and vitreous, may occur, but do not usually cause any visual disturbances. This case demonstrates visual loss as a result of premacular subhyaloid haemorrhage in acute leukaemia.