July 27, 2010
Blood Pressure and Macular Degeneration
High blood pressure causes damage to blood vessels throughout the body, including the tiny vessels that supply blood to the retina. This means that hypertension is a systemic disease - a disease that affects the whole body - including our eyes.
Routine Eye Exam
Changes in your retinal blood vessels can be detected during a routine eye exam. Your eye care professional may be able to identify if you are at risk for developing hypertension by looking at your retinal blood vessels - even if your blood pressure numbers are in the normal range.The eye is the only place in the body that allows physicians to actually see and check the condition of your blood vessels.
To see inside your eye, the doctor looks through a lighted magnifier called an ophthalmoscope. By dilating the pupils first, the doctor has a better view of the retina, the optic nerve and the blood vessels. This is how the doctor is able to determine the health of your retina and to check for microvascular changes such as narrowing of the vessels.
Retinal Health and Blood Vessels
Any health problems that affects blood vessels in the rest of your body will also affect the blood vessels in your eyes.The main eye diseases the doctor will be checking for are macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. However, an eye care professional can also tell if a patient has signs of hypertension or diabetes.
Of course you don’t need to just rely on your eye doctor to determine if your blood pressure numbers are creeping up. Knowing your blood pressure numbers and what they mean are important ways to care for your health and your eyes.
To help you better understand blood pressure readings and what your numbers mean click here:
Understanding Your Blood Pressure Numbers
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Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Better Health for Better Vision
www.WebRN-MacularDegeneration.com