Hypertensive retinopathy

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Hypertensive retinopathy

Retina

Hypertensive retinopathy is damage to theretina from high blood pressure. 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.

See also: Diabetic retinopathy

High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the retina. The higher the blood pressure and the longer it has been high, the more severe the damage is likely to be.

When you have diabetes, high cholesterol levels, or you smoke, you have a higher risk of damage and vision loss.

Rarely, a condition called malignant hypertension develops. Blood pressure readings suddenly become very high. Sometimes, the sudden rise in blood pressure can cause more severe changes in the eye.

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Other problems with the retina are also more likely to occur, such as:

• 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

Review Date: 08/31/2010
Reviewed By: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).