Learn about Eye Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, known as hypertension, is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases for which treatment is available. Millions of Americans have it and many are unaware of it. Symptoms are normally “silent” until it reaches an advanced stage. Not only is it considered a major risk factor for both heart attack and stroke, it is also a cause for vision loss. Click on image to enlarge.
Eye Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can damage the retina, the light-sensitive internal coat of the eyeball. This medical condition is called hypertensive retinopathy.
It damages the blood vessels in the retina. When the blood vessels become damaged, the flow of blood to the retina decreases. Without sufficient blood flow to the retina, it becomes deprived of oxygen. As the condition progresses, blood can leak out of the vessels and into the retina. Overtime, this can cause loss of vision, especially if the macula (the center of the retina–the area of clearest vision) is affected. Even mild cases of high blood pressure can cause damage if it goes untreated for many years.
Often, people are not aware of having hypertensive retinopathy until it is found during a routine eye exam. When symptoms do occur, they may include headache, visual problems, and in some cases, sudden loss of vision.
The eye doctor can look into the eye to assess damage of the retina with an instrument called an ophthalmoscope. They can see if:
- the blood vessels have narrowed
- fluid is oozing from the vessels
- there is exudation
- there are spots (called cotton wool spots) on the retina
- there is macular swelling
- there is swelling of the optic nerve
- there is bleeding in the eye.
The degree of damage is graded on a scale of 1 to 4. Grade 1 is minimal narrowing of the arteries and normally no eye symptoms are present. Grade 4 includes swelling of the macula and optic nerve and decreased vision can occur.
Normally, the amount of damage to the blood vessels in the retina is similar to the amount of damage to other blood vessels in the body affected by high blood pressure, such as the heart, brain, and kidneys.
Controlling High Blood Pressure
Medications may be necessary for those with moderate to severe cases of high blood pressure. However, most people with borderline to moderate cases can control their blood pressure with diet and lifestyle changes:
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
- Avoid or limit animal fat.
- Stay active, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight.
- Limit alcohol and do not smoke.
- Manage stress in a positive manner.
- Control blood sugar levels if diabetic.
Click here for more information on controlling high blood pressure with natural remedies.
Outlook
The earlier eye symptoms of high blood pressure are caught and the sooner one controls their blood pressure, the better the outcome will be. Even those with grade 4 hypertensive retinopathy can recover; however, some will have permanent damage.
Sources Used
Medline Plus: Hypertensive retinopathy - https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000999.htm
WebMD: High Blood Pressure and Eye Disease - https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/eye-disease-high-blood-pressure
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of the National Library of Medicine (NLM)