BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuHigh blood pressure and eye disease Hypertensive retinopathy 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. RetinaThe retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eyeball. Images that come through the eye's lens are focused on the retina. Th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes The higher the blood pressure and the longer it has been high, the more severe the damage is likely to be.You have a higher risk of damage and vision loss when you also have diabetes, high cholesterol level, or you smoke.Rarely, very high blood pressure develops suddenly. However, when it does, it can cause severe changes in the eye.Other problems with the retina are also more likely, such as: Damage to the nerves in the eye due to poor blood flow Damage to the nerves in the eyeOptic nerve atrophy is damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve carries images of what the eye sees to the brain.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the retina Blockage of the arteriesRetinal artery occlusion is a blockage in one of the small arteries that carry blood to the retina. The retina is a layer of tissue in the back of t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blockage of the veins that carry blood away from the retina Blockage of the veinsRetinal vein occlusion is a blockage of the small veins that carry blood away from the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Symptoms Most people with hypertensive retinopathy do not have symptoms until late in the disease.Symptoms may include: Double vision, dim vision, or vision loss HeadachesHeadachesA headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sudden symptoms are a medical emergency. It often means that the blood pressure is very high. Exams and Tests Your health care provider will use an ophthalmoscope to look for narrowing of the blood vessels and signs that fluid has leaked from blood vessels.OphthalmoscopeOphthalmoscopy is an examination of the back part of the eye (fundus), which includes the retina, optic disc, choroid, and blood vessels.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The degree of damage to the retina (retinopathy) is graded on a scale of 1 to 4:Grade 1: Usually you would not have symptoms. Grades 2 to 3: There are a number of changes in the blood vessels, leaking from blood vessels, and swelling in other parts of the retina. Grade 4: You will have swelling of the optic nerve and of the visual center of the retina (macula). This swelling can cause decreased vision. You may need a special test to examine the blood vessels. TestFluorescein angiography is an eye test that uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid. These are the two layers ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment The only treatment for hypertensive retinopathy is to control high blood pressure. Control high blood pressureHypertension is another term used to describe high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to: StrokeHeart attackHeart failureKidney diseaseEar...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) People with grade 4 (severe retinopathy) often have heart and kidney problems due to high blood pressure. They are also at higher risk for stroke.In most cases, the retina will heal if the blood pressure is controlled. However, some people with grade 4 retinopathy will have lasting damage to the optic nerve or macula. When to Contact a Medical Professional Get emergency treatment if you have high blood pressure with vision changes or headaches.Open ReferencesReferencesCheung CY, Wong TY. Hypertension. In: Sadda SVR, Sarraf D, Freund KB, et al, eds. Ryan's Retina. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 52.Levy PD, Brody A. Hypertension. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 70.Rachitskaya AV. Hypertensive retinopathy. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 6.14.AllVideoImagesTogHypertensive retinopathy - illustration Damage to the retina from high blood pressure is called hypertensive retinopathy. It occurs as the existing high blood pressure causes changes to the microvasculature of the retina. Some of the first findings in the disease are flame hemorrhages and cotton wool spots. As hypertensive retinopathy progresses, hard exudates can appear around the macula along with swelling of the macula and the optic nerve, causing impairment of vision. In severe cases permanent damage to the optic nerve or macula can occur.Hypertensive retinopathyillustrationRetina - illustration The retina is the internal layer of the eye that receives and transmits focused images. The retina is normally red due to its rich blood supply.RetinaillustrationHypertensive retinopathy - illustration Damage to the retina from high blood pressure is called hypertensive retinopathy. It occurs as the existing high blood pressure causes changes to the microvasculature of the retina. Some of the first findings in the disease are flame hemorrhages and cotton wool spots. As hypertensive retinopathy progresses, hard exudates can appear around the macula along with swelling of the macula and the optic nerve, causing impairment of vision. In severe cases permanent damage to the optic nerve or macula can occur.Hypertensive retinopathyillustrationRetina - illustration The retina is the internal layer of the eye that receives and transmits focused images. The retina is normally red due to its rich blood supply.RetinaillustrationA Closer Look High blood pressure - InDepth(In-Depth)Atherosclerosis(Alt. Medicine)Crohn disease(Alt. Medicine)Diabetes - type 2 - InDepth(In-Depth)Diabetes - type 1 - InDepth(In-Depth)Stroke - InDepth(In-Depth)Sickle cell disease - InDepth(In-Depth)Stroke(Alt. Medicine)Glaucoma - InDepth(In-Depth)Parkinson disease(Alt. Medicine)Self Care Diabetes eye careType 1 diabetes - self-careType 2 diabetes - self-careOculoplastic proceduresLong-term complications of diabetesDiabetes tests and checkupsHeadaches - danger signsDiabetes - keeping active Antihistamines for allergies Tests for High blood pressure and eye disease Blood pressure measurementCortisol blood testVisual fieldElectronystagmographyCaloric stimulationRelated Information Retina(Special Topic)Retinopathy of prematurity(Condition)High blood pressure - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 7/9/2024 Reviewed By: Audrey Tai, DO, MS, Athena Eye Care, Mission Viejo, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
High blood pressure and eye disease Hypertensive retinopathy 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. RetinaThe retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eyeball. Images that come through the eye's lens are focused on the retina. Th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes The higher the blood pressure and the longer it has been high, the more severe the damage is likely to be.You have a higher risk of damage and vision loss when you also have diabetes, high cholesterol level, or you smoke.Rarely, very high blood pressure develops suddenly. However, when it does, it can cause severe changes in the eye.Other problems with the retina are also more likely, such as: Damage to the nerves in the eye due to poor blood flow Damage to the nerves in the eyeOptic nerve atrophy is damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve carries images of what the eye sees to the brain.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the retina Blockage of the arteriesRetinal artery occlusion is a blockage in one of the small arteries that carry blood to the retina. The retina is a layer of tissue in the back of t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blockage of the veins that carry blood away from the retina Blockage of the veinsRetinal vein occlusion is a blockage of the small veins that carry blood away from the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Symptoms Most people with hypertensive retinopathy do not have symptoms until late in the disease.Symptoms may include: Double vision, dim vision, or vision loss HeadachesHeadachesA headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sudden symptoms are a medical emergency. It often means that the blood pressure is very high. Exams and Tests Your health care provider will use an ophthalmoscope to look for narrowing of the blood vessels and signs that fluid has leaked from blood vessels.OphthalmoscopeOphthalmoscopy is an examination of the back part of the eye (fundus), which includes the retina, optic disc, choroid, and blood vessels.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The degree of damage to the retina (retinopathy) is graded on a scale of 1 to 4:Grade 1: Usually you would not have symptoms. Grades 2 to 3: There are a number of changes in the blood vessels, leaking from blood vessels, and swelling in other parts of the retina. Grade 4: You will have swelling of the optic nerve and of the visual center of the retina (macula). This swelling can cause decreased vision. You may need a special test to examine the blood vessels. TestFluorescein angiography is an eye test that uses a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid. These are the two layers ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment The only treatment for hypertensive retinopathy is to control high blood pressure. Control high blood pressureHypertension is another term used to describe high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to: StrokeHeart attackHeart failureKidney diseaseEar...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) People with grade 4 (severe retinopathy) often have heart and kidney problems due to high blood pressure. They are also at higher risk for stroke.In most cases, the retina will heal if the blood pressure is controlled. However, some people with grade 4 retinopathy will have lasting damage to the optic nerve or macula. When to Contact a Medical Professional Get emergency treatment if you have high blood pressure with vision changes or headaches.Open ReferencesReferencesCheung CY, Wong TY. Hypertension. In: Sadda SVR, Sarraf D, Freund KB, et al, eds. Ryan's Retina. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 52.Levy PD, Brody A. Hypertension. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 70.Rachitskaya AV. Hypertensive retinopathy. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 6.14.
