How Is Hypertensive Retinopathy Diagnosed
An eye care professional can diagnose hypertensive retinopathy. Using an ophthalmoscope, an instrument that projects light to examine the back of the eyeball, the doctor will look for signs of retinopathy that include:
- Narrowing of blood vessels
- Spots on the retina known as cotton wool spots and exudates
- Swelling of the macula and optic nerve
- Bleeding in the back of the eye
How To Detect High Eye Pressure Symptoms
Most people start to feel high eye pressure over time. In some cases, high eye pressure comes on without much warning. Other times, you may not notice that you have high eye pressure at all because some people do not experience symptoms.
It might help to keep a journal of your eye pressure symptoms daily or even weekly. Start by writing down any changes you notice with your eyes. Assign a number to the amount of pressure you feel in either eye. This is especially helpful if you think you may have high eye pressure and need to monitor your symptoms.
Also, be sure to write down any other symptoms you notice in addition to pressure. These can be an indication of another condition or they may help your doctor rule out glaucoma. Take your journal or notes with you when you see your eye doctor so he or she can assess your symptoms.
What Is Blood Pressure
Your heart pumps blood throughout the body by squeezing itself, pushing blood out into the veins. Its a pressurized system, so theres force acting on the inner walls of your veins. Its on the veins, usually those of the arms, that doctors take pressure readings.
There are two pressure readings in a simple pump like your cardiovascular system:
- Systolic
- Diastolic
The second reading is the diastolic pressure, which is quite a bit lower. Its when the blood in your veins is at rest in between heartbeats. Again, a healthy adult should have no more than 80 mmHg.
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S Of Eye Pressure Measurement
Depending on what causes high eye pressure, your treatment may vary. The best way to detect high eye pressure is by seeing your eye doctor for an eye exam. Checking eye pressure involves conducting a tonometry, which is a type of test that measures your eye pressure. In the past, eye doctors used a puff of air to detect your eye pressure. Now, most eye doctors use a more accurate device to measure your eye pressure.
First, your doctor will place eye drops in your eyes to numb them. Next, he or she will use a glowing device with a blue light to gently touch the front of your eyeball. Your doctor may also use a handheld device to touch your eye. Both devices apply a light touch of pressure to your eye. This allows your doctor to measure the amount of pressure inside your eye.
You can also conduct an eye pressure test at home by using an at-home tonometer. These handheld devices are designed to test your eye pressure at home the same way your doctor would during an eye exam. Be sure to talk to your doctor to see if an at-home tonometer is right for you. Keep in mind that for the most accurate results, you should only conduct a tonomy at your doctors office or under your doctors supervision. This prevents the risk of injuring your eye and ensures that your reading will be accurate.
Retinal Detachment Or Migraines
Seeing a few eye floaters usually isnt a sign of anything serious, but if you notice lightning flashes or darkness in your field of vision, this is a sign of an ocular emergency that warrants immediate medical attention.
These instantaneous flashes are different than those that are a precursor of a migraine. Sometimes people notice a 20-minute long flickering or sparkling light that expands in size and shrinks back down again, Dr. Stalker explains. That can be the start of an ocular migraine, which may be followed by a headache.
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High Cholesterol And The Eyes: Signs And Symptoms
Johnstone M. Kim, MD, is board-certified in ophthalmology. He’s a practicing physician at Midwest Retina in Dublin, Ohio and previously served as a full-time faculty member at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit, Michigan.
Your body needs some cholesterol, a type of fat, to function properly. However, having too much cholesterol in your blood can negatively affect your health.
Your doctor can test your blood to find out what your cholesterol levels are, but you might also have signs or symptomssome of which may affect your eyes.
Here is what you should know about the signs and symptoms of high cholesterol that might show up in and around your eyes, and when you should see a doctor for them.
Verywell / Michela Buttignol
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Hbp Can Harm Your Eyesight In Many Ways
Your eyes contain many tiny blood vessels. When subjected to the long-term effects of high blood pressure , the following conditions can develop:
- Blood vessel damage A lack of blood flow to the retina leads to blurred vision or the complete loss of sight. People with diabetes and high blood pressure are at an even greater risk for developing this condition. Managing blood pressure is also the only way to treat hypertensive retinopathy.
- Fluid buildup under the retina This buildup of fluid under the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eyeball, results in distorted vision or, in some cases, scarring that impairs vision.
- Nerve damage The result of blocked blood flow that damages the optic nerve, it can kill nerve cells in your eyes, which may cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
How Does Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure causes darkening in the eyes or a temporary drop in visual functions. For VSD are characterized by loss of consciousness, dizziness. The nervous system is constantly rebooted and at some point ceases to cope. As a result, the intraocular pressure changes drastically. Often darkening in the eyes is the first symptom of loss of consciousness.
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High Blood Pressure And Glaucoma: Is There A Link
One particular condition that has been linked to high blood pressure is glaucoma, in which fluid builds up in the front part of the eye. This excess fluid increases the pressure in the eye, which damages the optic nerve, leading to progressive loss of vision.
Blood pressure and glaucoma share a complex relationship. Very high blood pressure can lead to an increase in intraocular pressure , which is one of the main causes of glaucoma.
Low blood pressure is also not desirable, as it can lead to insufficient blood supply to the optic nerve.12 This is an important consideration because over-treatment of hypertension with medications can lead to a situation where the blood pressure is too low and can cause damage to the eye. The key is to avoid extremes of blood pressure and to let your optometrist or ophthalmologist know if youre taking any antihypertensive medications.
What Can You Do To Protect Your Vision And Your Whole Self In Case Of High Blood Pressure
Early intervention is critical, and routine eye exams are part of that. If you start treating high blood pressure early with a combination of good nutrition, regular exercise, and medication prescribed by your doctor, it improves your entire outlook, limiting the damage to the blood vessels that can cause vision problems.
Are you concerned about the impact of high blood pressure on your vision, or are you experiencing vision problems? Contact us to schedule an eye exam today.
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The Eyes Have It For High Blood Pressure Clues
When Dr. William White shines a bright light in his patient’s eye, he’s looking for more than just vision problems.
He’s searching for clues indicating the effects of high blood pressure, or hypertension, and what he finds could help prevent heart attacks, strokes and other serious health problems far beyond the eye.
“We can see changes due to vascular conditions caused by diabetes or hypertension,” said White, an optometrist with Baylor Scott & White Health in Temple, Texas. “The blood vessels in the retina can become a little more stiff and hardened. They’ll push on each other and cross, like two hoses in a confined space.
“When it gets really bad, we’ll see some of the blood vessels start to leak, we’ll see some hemorrhaging. And that can cause a whole range of vision issues.”
Vision symptoms may not show up for years. But ultimately, high blood pressure can result in hypertensive retinopathy, blood vessel damage causing blurred vision or loss of sight choroidopathy, a buildup of fluid under the retina that can distort or impair vision or optic neuropathy, a blood flow blockage that can kill nerve cells and cause vision loss.
Similarly, high blood pressure may not reveal itself for decades before causing a heart attack or stroke, which earns its grim description as the “silent killer.”
That is why detecting high blood pressure early and treating it with diet, exercise and medication is crucial, and why White says eye doctors are on the front lines of the battle.
Can High Blood Pressure Lead To Vision Loss
High blood pressure or hypertension puts you at risk of heart disease, stroke and even vision loss. Around 85 million people suffer from this condition in the United States.
In this post, Park Slope eye care specialists discuss the link between high blood pressure and vision loss.
Eye Conditions Caused by High Blood Pressure
The eyes contain many small blood vessels, which is why having high blood pressure can lead to various eye-related complications. Below are eye conditions that can develop due to hypertension.
1. Retinopathy or Blood Vessel Damage
This disease is due to a lack of blood flow to the retina. It may lead to blurry vision or complete eyesight loss. Patients who have diabetes and high blood pressure are at higher risk of developing blood vessel damage.
2. Choroidopathy or Fluid Buildup Under the Retina
Fluid buildup under the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, may cause distorted vision and scarring that affects vision.
3. Optic Neuropathy or Nerve Damage
Blocked blood flow ca damage the optic nerve and can kill the eyes nerve cells, which may lead to temporary or permanent vision impairment.
Hypertension is one of the major causes of stroke, which can damage the optic nerve or affect the area of the brain that processes images. Visit your eye doctor if youre experiencing any eye discomfort or vision problems.
Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure
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Can High Blood Pressure Impact Your Vision
High blood pressure affects a great many Americans. For one thing, men suffer from it at higher rates than women , so your gender might play a factor in whether youre at risk. This risk shouldnt be ignored. In 2017, 500,000 people died with high blood pressure serving as a contributing cause.
Because it can be life-threatening, people do what they can to manage it. But one thing patients might not expect is the way it affects your eyes. Sometimes patients find that out during a routine eye exam, which isnt ideal. High blood pressure, medication, or diseases with high blood pressure playing a part can all impact eye health, and it helps to know the risks early.
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High blood pressure takes place when your blood exerts too much force against the area around your blood vessels. Anything above 140 over 90 mm Hg is considered high blood pressure, by most standards.
According to recent findings, 33 percent of people in the U.S. possess high blood pressure. And about 20 percent of people have no idea they have it.
At the beginning of your eye exam, your optometrist may ask questions about your health, lifestyle, and family medical history. High blood pressure may come into the conversation. Dont be afraid to share this information, as it can help your eye doctor see if youre at risk for hypertension or other health issues.
Normal Eye Pressure Range By Age
What is good eye pressure? Normal eye pressure is defined as having an intraocular eye pressure measurement of 10 to 21 mm Hg. Your risk of glaucoma and intraocular eye pressure increases as you get older. Experiencing high eye pressure before turning 40 could be a sign of a more serious condition.
According to one study that tested a group of 3135 patients with an average age of 64.1 years old, the average eye pressure measurement was 14.7 mm HG. The results found that most people aged 40 to 54 years old had an eye pressure measurement of 20 to 21 mm Hg while people over the age of 80 had a reading of 18 to 19 mm Hg. The results also showed that a high eye pressure reading was associated with younger age, high blood sugar levels, a higher pulse rate, high diastolic blood pressure, and a higher consumption of alcohol.
The eye pressure measurement decreased by 0.50 and 0.76 mm Hg for every increase in age by ten years. In the group of 50 to 55 year olds, the age-adjusted eye measurements ranged from 9 to 18 mm HG while the group of 75 year olds and above ranged from 8 to 18 mm HG.
Graph source: https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/hypertension.htm
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Hypertension And Vision Problems: How Can High Blood Pressure Affect Your Eyes
Hypertension, when left untreated, can lead to a series of problems and damage to other organs, such as the heart or the kidneys. However, in some situations, high blood flow can also lead to vision problems by interfering with the blood supply that the eyes are meant to receive in order to function properly. While treating high blood pressure can solve most of these issues, failure to do so in time can cause permanent damage.
The Effects Of High Blood Pressure On Your Eyes
High blood pressure can be very harmful to the body, causing heart and kidney problems among other issues. If untreated, high blood pressure can also affect your eyesight and lead to eye disease. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back part of the eye. It changes light and images that enter the eye into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The higher the blood pressure and the longer it has been high, the more severe the damage is likely to be.
The most common eye disease caused by high blood pressure is known as hypertensive retinopathy.
Other problems with the retina that may occur include:
Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: Damage to the nerves in the eye due to poor blood flow
Retinal Artery Occlusion: Blockage of the blood supply in the arteries to the retina
Retinal Vein Occlusion: Blockage of the veins that carry blood away from the retina
Most people with eye disease from high blood pressure do not have symptoms until late in the disease. Symptoms may include:
- Double vision, dim vision or vision loss
- Headaches
During a retinal exam in Clermont, Dr. Pennachio uses an instrument called an ophthalmoscope to check for retinal problems such as narrowing of blood vessels and signs that fluid has leaked from blood vessels.
To treat eye problems from high blood pressure, the high blood pressure must be under control. If not treated, permanent damage may result.
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How Can Hypertension Affect Your Eyesight
We are aware of the many serious consequences of living with high blood pressure, or hypertension. Prolonged, untreated hypertension can negatively impact your heart and your kidneys, but how can hypertension affect your eyesight?
High blood pressure can lead to a condition known as hypertensive retinopathy and the damage can be very serious if not addressed.
The retina is a layer of tissue located at back of the eye and contains cells that are sensitive to light. These cells trigger nerve impulses that pass via the optic nerve to the brain, where a visual image is formed. When your blood pressure is too high, the walls of the retina may thicken, which restricts blood flow to the retina and limits its function, resulting in potentially permanent vision problems, including blindness.
A person with hypertensive retinopathy wouldnt typically display any symptoms until the condition has progressed. Possible signs may include:
- Reduced vision
- Bursting of a blood vessel
- Double vision accompanied by headaches
In most cases, an eye specialist can diagnose hypertensive retinopathy during an examination using an instrument called an opthalmoscope to examine the retina. Your doctor will look for signs of narrowing of blood vessels, spots on the retina, swelling or bleeding in the back of the eye.