How High Blood Pressure Can Lead to Vision Loss
High blood pressure can harm the many tiny blood vessels in your eyes. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause these conditions to develop:
- Blood vessel damage: Blurred vision or the complete loss of sight can happen without blood flow to the retina. (The retina is a layer of the eyeball.) People with diabetes and high blood pressure are at a greater risk for having this condition. Managing blood pressure is the only way to treat the condition known as hypertensive retinopathy.
- Fluid buildup under the retina: This buildup of fluid under the retina creates distorted vision or scars that harm vision. This is known as choroidopathy.
- Nerve damage: Blocked blood flow damages the optic nerve. This can kill nerve cells in your eyes, which may cause vision loss. This is known as optic neuropathy.
- Other conditions: High blood pressure may increase the risk of developing other eye conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, which can cause vision impairment or blindness if left untreated.
Stroke risk and vision loss
A stroke can also be caused by high blood pressure. A stroke can damage the optic nerve or the area of the brain that processes images.
Don’t let high blood pressure harm your vision:
