Did You Know High BP Can Damage Your Eyes? Here Are 7 Essential Tips To Protect Vision
High blood pressure can quietly damage eyes, leading to blurred vision, bleeding, or even blindness. Ophthalmologist explains how hypertension affects eye health and shares tips to protect your vision
By Dr Suhani Malhotra
World Hypertension Day: High blood pressure (hypertension) doesn’t just affect the heart and kidneys — it can also silently damage your eyes. In fact, many people first discover they have hypertension during a routine eye exam.
How Does High BP Affect The Eyes?
Uncontrolled blood pressure can damage the delicate blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye), leading to hypertensive retinopathy, optic neuropathy, or vein occlusions. It can cause small blood vessels to burst, resulting in subconjunctival haemorrhage (a red patch on the white of the eye) or bleeding inside the retina.
High BP may also block blood vessels, leading to retinal vein occlusion, or restrict blood flow to the optic nerve, which can cause optic neuropathy. In severe cases, it may even cause fluid leakage, double vision, or complete vision loss. People with both hypertension and diabetes are at an even higher risk.
Common Hypertension-Related Eye Issues
- Blurred or reduced vision
- Floaters or bleeding inside the eye
- Double vision due to nerve palsy
- Headaches with visual disturbances
Risk Factors To Watch Out For
The duration and severity of high BP increase the risk of eye complications. Additional risk factors include diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, pregnancy, and a family history of hypertension. That’s why monitoring blood pressure during pregnancy and in high-risk individuals is essential. Often, hypertension is asymptomatic, but it may rarely present with reduced vision or headaches.
7 Dos And Don'ts
- Check your blood pressure regularly, even at home.
- Have a complete eye check-up yearly or as advised.
- Take medications consistently and follow up with your physician.
- Eat a low-salt diet, exercise regularly, and manage your weight.
- Don’t ignore sudden vision changes, floaters, or headaches.
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol.
- Don’t self-medicate eye drops without professional advice.
Hypertension is a silent but serious condition. Controlling it, along with managing other risk factors like cholesterol and diabetes, helps protect your vision and overall health. A few small steps today can protect your vision for a lifetime.
Dr Suhani Malhotra is a Consultant Ophthalmologist with Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, Bengaluru. She specializes in treatment of retinal and uveal disorders.
[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]
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