Retinal hemorrhages can be caused by injuries, usually forceful blows to the head during accidents and falls, as well as by adverse health conditions. In infants, retinal hemorrhage is frequently associated with child abuse and has been termed shaken baby syndrome. A condition called retinopathy of prematurity occurs in prematurely born infants or infants with low birth weights. When children are born prematurely, the blood vessels in the eye may not have had time to fully develop and may become damaged easily, leaking or hemorrhaging. The condition must be determined by an opthalmologist, as the symptoms are not readily observable.

Diabetic retinopathy is a common eye problem associated with diabetes. Diabetes, by stressing the circulatory system, can cause damage, including hemorrhaging, to the small blood vessels of the retina. Non-proliferative retinopathy occurs when the damaged or leaking blood vessels do not spread. Symptoms of this disorder include vision spots, floaters (floating areas of blurred vision), decreased or loss of vision, or loss of fine vision for detailed activities such as reading. Proliferative retinopathy occurs when new blood vessels begin to form in damaged areas of the retina, and may lead to spots, floaters, decreased vision, or sudden loss of vision. Sudden vision loss may occur if one of the newly formed blood vessels ruptures. Due to increased pressure in the area, the retina may detach from the back of the eye, a serious condition and a cause of blindness.

People with high blood pressure (hypertension) may develop hypertensive retinopathy, in which blood vessels in the retina become damaged from increased blood pressure. Symptoms are typically not pronounced, but blurred or decreased vision may be caused by the disorder.

Central serous retinopathy is a condition in which the vessels behind the retina leak and cause fluid to collect in small blisters behind the retina. Symptoms include sudden blurry areas in the vision, blind spots, distorted vision areas, and loss of vision. This condition is most common in males between 20 and 50 years of age.