Blood Pressure and Retinal Diseases
Your vision is connected to other aspects of wellness in ways that you don’t always expect. For example, high blood pressure and circulatory problems could increase your risk of various retinal conditions and diseases. Thankfully, Retina Associates in Lenexa, KS can help. We offer advanced retinal disease treatment as well as a focus on prevention and long-term wellness.
Let’s consider the dangers of high blood pressure and look at some retinal conditions it can cause. We’ll then briefly note tips for prevention and offer an overview of what treatment for these diseases will involve.
The Dangers of Hypertension
If you suffer from high blood pressure, you have an increased risk for a number of health problems and conditions. That is to be expected when your circulation is impaired. This includes heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, and cognitive issues. In addition to affecting your general wellness in significant ways, high blood pressure can also lead to a number of vision problems.
Retinal Conditions Associated with Hypertension
Some retinal problems most commonly associated with high blood pressure include:
- Hypertensive Retinopathy- Hypertensive retinopathy refers to damage to the blood vessels of the retina directly caused by hypertension. The condition can be detected/diagnosed during a regular eye exam.
- Choroidopathy- Choroidopathy refers to the accumulation of fluid under the retina. This can lead to distorted vision and even scar tissue that impairs a person’s vision.
- Eye Stroke - An eye stroke means that blood flow within the retina is blocked off. This restriction of blood flow can cause blurred vision and even total vision loss if not treated.
- Macular Degeneration - Macular degeneration refers to the breakdown of the central part of the retina. While often associated with the aging process, high blood pressure can increase the risk of this condition.
In addition to these retinal diseases we can treat at our Lenexa center, hypertension is also linked to optic nerve damage, glaucoma, and other eye problems.
Treating Retinal Diseases
Treating the above listed retinal conditions will typically involve some combination of eye surgery and lifestyle modifications that improve blood flow and ciruclation. Our goal will always be to restore your vision to the best of our ability and to help you make smart choices to prevent further retinal problems down the road.
Contact Retina Associates
If you live in the Shawnee Mission area and would like to learn more about treatment and prevention of retina conditions, be sure to contact our trusted team of retinal surgeons and specialists. You can reach our team by phone at (913) 831-7400.