Valsalva Retinopathy Associated with Choking and Heimlich Maneuver

Valsalva is “a particular form of retinopathy, pre-retinal and hemorrhagic in nature, secondary to a sudden increase in intrathoracic pressure”. Increasing intrathoracic pressure against a closed glottis diminishes venous return to the heart, decreasing stroke volume and subsequently increasing the venous system pressure. Here we report a case of 52-year-old male who presented with a sudden central vision loss because of macular hemorrhage. The case occurred following the suffocation, which is not often seen; hence we conducted investigative tests to determine the cause of retinal bleeding.