Blood pressure is very important to the circulatory system, which delivers nutrients to each part of the body. High blood pressure is dangerous for many reasons, but it can damage the blood vessels in your organs. It can also cause problems in your eyes in the form a condition called hypertensive retinopathy.
Eye Structure and Function
Your eyes function as collectors of light. Light enters each eye through the hole, the pupil. The iris, the colored part of the eye, adjusts to make sure that the right amount of light is entering the pupil. After the light enters the pupil, it travels through a lens that focuses the light onto the retina. The retina is a light sensitive tissue that takes in the light and creates electrical impulses. These impulses then travel along the optic nerve to the brain, which translates those impulses into images.
Hypertension
Blood pressure is the amount of pressure that the blood places on the blood vessels through which it travels. Over time, an elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, can damage the blood vessels and prevent the blood from properly circulating. This can lead to even more complications like heart and kidney disease. There are many risk factors for hypertension, including diet, exercise and family history.
Hypertensive Retinopathy
Hypertension can negatively affect many organs but when it affects the eyes, it is called hypertensive retinopathy. It is characterized by damaged blood vessels in the retina and can cause blurry vision or even blindness. Symptoms of hypertensive retinopathy can be intense headaches or vision problems. However, most people do not experience any symptoms at all and are not diagnosed until it is caught during a routine eye exam.
Treatment
Your health care provider will begin to treat hypertensive retinopathy by stabilizing your blood pressure. This may involve investigating the reasons behind the hypertension, such as diabetes or kidney disease, and treating them. Your diet and exercise routine will change as well. Depending on the severity of the condition, you will also have to start taking prescription blood pressure medicine to help immediately stabilize blood pressure. In most cases, this is enough to reverse the condition.
Prevention
The best way to prevent hypertensive retinopathy is to prevent hypertension. Start with a healthy diet and exercise routine to help maintain a healthy weight. Avoid excess fat, sugar and sodium in your diet. Do not smoke or abuse alcohol. Reducing stress can also prevent hypertension. You should also get regular medical checkups to catch conditions that cause hypertension early on and start treatment.
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