Hypertensive Retinopathy:Retinal Disorder
Hypertensive means one who has high blood pressure. Retinopathy refers
to the damage on the retina which results in a retinal disorder. Thus,
hypertensive retinopathy damage to the retina caused
by your high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, if not properly monitored and treated will cause
the walls of the small blood cells in the retina to get thicker. When
this happens, the blood will have a more difficult time passing through,
and blood supply to your retina is compromised.
It is also possible for the blood to start leaking to the retina which
will affect your eyesight. Of course, the effect of hypertension on your
retina will be dependent on the severity of your high blood pressure problem.
The more serious your hypertension is, the higher the risk of damage to
your eyes.
Hypertensive retinopathy is categorized into
4 stages. Stage 1 is the onset of this retinal disorder, and usually does
not present any symptoms. The highest is stage 4 which is swelling of
the macula in the retina and the optic nerve. At this point, it is highly
possible for the patient to also have kidney and heart problems, mainly
because of the hypertension. At stage 4, the person with the condition
must seek medical attention immediately. If possible, he should proceed
to the nearest emergency room for treatment.
The usual symptoms that one can have with this condition are headaches
and vision problems, sometimes even abrupt loss of vision. If you have
any concern and are experiencing these symptoms, you should see an ophthalmologist.
This is an eye doctor who can tell if your blood vessels are leaking or
narrowing. The eye exam is relatively simple with the ophthalmoscope,
and your ophthalmologist can probably reach a diagnosis within a few minutes.
Some studies have shown that African Americans are more prone to hypertensive
retinopathy than white Caucasians. The main reason for this is that African
Americans have twice as many chances of getting hypertension than Caucasians.
Nevertheless, treatment
for this retinal disorder must start with treatment
of the high blood pressure. If one can begin to control his hypertension,
then the risk of getting vision problems like hypertensive retinopathy
decreases.
Some doctors may even consider alternative treatment methods like all
natural supplements to lower the high blood pressure to a more acceptable
level. As you may know, a person with high
blood pressure should not just be concerned for his
eyesight, but for his life. This is because hypertension can cause heart
attacks and other equally life-threatening medical problems. Have an eye
exam, and find out what is causing your vision
problems. It could be a retinal disorder, or it could
be something more simpler like a migraine or astigmatism. Either way,
it is always better to know than to go through life, slowly losing your
eyesight.
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