Most of us know the importance of regular eye exams, especially after the age of 40. However, many people do not realize that their eyes can reveal a lot about their health, including high blood pressure (hypertension). In fact, the eyes can be the first part of the body to show signs of high blood pressure, even if the patient has never been diagnosed or has obvious symptoms.
How dangerous is high blood pressure?
According to estimates, about 1.3 billion people in the world are living with high blood pressure, but only half of them know they have the disease. The reason is because high blood pressure often has no obvious symptoms, so it is easily overlooked. This is also the reason why it is called the “silent killer”.
High blood pressure does not appear suddenly, but is often the result of a long-term unhealthy lifestyle, including unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, smoking, and alcohol abuse. In addition, genetic factors and underlying diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, etc. also increase the risk of the disease.
If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to a series of dangerous complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke, kidney failure, dementia, and especially eye diseases. Therefore, early detection of high blood pressure is extremely important, and regular eye exams can play an unexpected role in this.
Signs in the eyes that warn of high blood pressure
When blood pressure is high for a long time, it not only affects the cardiovascular system but also causes significant damage to the eyes. Ophthalmologists, through techniques such as fundoscopy or retinal photography, can detect subtle changes in the eyes.
Here are some signs in the eyes that can warn of high blood pressure that you should not ignore:
1. Signs of small hemorrhages in the retina (abnormal red dots)
High blood pressure can cause small blood vessels in the retina to rupture, leading to tiny hemorrhages. When examining the fundus, the doctor may see scattered red dots, sometimes forming small clusters. These hemorrhages not only affect vision but are also a sign that the blood vessels are under great pressure and are vulnerable. If not well controlled, this condition can lead to permanent vision loss or complications such as vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment.
2. Accumulation of fluid under the retina, causing swelling or blurred vision
One of the consequences of chronic high blood pressure is the leakage of plasma from damaged blood vessels. When fluid accumulates under the retina, the patient may feel blurred, distorted or have difficulty seeing clearly in the morning. This phenomenon is called “hypertensive retinal edema”, and if prolonged, it can cause optic nerve atrophy. This is a condition that requires early intervention because the damage here is often silent and painless, causing many people to be subjective.
3. Changes in blood vessel diameter, warning of high blood pressure risk
When examining the eyes, the doctor may notice that the retinal blood vessels are constricted, narrowed or have signs of bending, typical manifestations of uncontrolled high blood pressure. In medicine, this phenomenon is called retinal vasoconstriction reflex, a natural mechanism to protect the capillaries from excessive blood pressure. However, if this change persists, it can affect the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the eyes, impair vision and warn of the risk of damage to other organs such as the brain and heart.
4. Inflammation or dysfunction of blood vessels, which may reflect systemic damage
High blood pressure is not simply a high number on a blood pressure monitor, but a manifestation of damage to the entire vascular system in the body. When the blood vessels in the eyes become inflamed or dysfunctional, doctors may see signs of plasma leakage, optic disc edema, or even optic nerve atrophy. These lesions may suggest that the patient is in the malignant stage of hypertension, a dangerous condition that requires immediate treatment to avoid complications such as stroke, kidney failure, or permanent vision loss.
