When your doctor looks into your eyes, they’re checking for more than just whether you can see clearly. They’re looking for clues that might point to damage from conditions such as high blood pressure.

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What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when blood presses too hard against artery walls. Over time, this damages the arteries and vessels throughout the body, including the eyes.

Think of high blood pressure as a gushing river overflowing. After a while, all that rushing water will damage the river’s banks. The same is true with your blood vessels when your blood pressure is too high for a long period of time. 

High blood pressure often has no symptoms but can have significant long-term consequences. Changes to your diet and exercise, along with taking medication, can control your blood pressure. When your blood pressure is well managed, you can prevent complications, including your vision.

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How Does High Blood Pressure Affect Eye Health?

The eye contains many blood vessels. With high blood pressure, these vessels can become damaged and not work properly, leading to a lack of blood flow to the eye. The vessels can also become weak and start leaking. This can result in vision problems and even vision loss.

Most people with high blood pressure do not experience any symptoms until the late stages of the disease. This is also true of vision problems due to high blood pressure. Damage usually occurs before you notice any problems with your vision.

That’s why it’s very important to get your eyes and blood pressure checked regularly. This allows your doctors to catch and treat issues before they get worse.

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High Blood Pressure and Eye Disease

Having high blood pressure increases your risk for several eye diseases. Hypertensive retinopathy is the most common. But there are others.

Hypertensive Retinopathy

Due to high blood pressure, the blood vessels in the eye can become porous over time, leaking blood into the retina. The blood vessels can also narrow over time, making themselves more susceptible to clots or completely closing up. Without enough blood supply to the retina, blurry vision and complete vision loss can ensue.

Other Eye Conditions

Other less common eye conditions that can result from high blood pressure include:

• Blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the retina (retinal artery occlusion): Lack of blood supply can damage the retina and lead to blurry vision or vision loss. This is more common in people with heart problems and hardened arteries in the eye. 
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• Blockage of the veins that carry blood away from the retina (retinal vein occlusion): Symptoms include sudden blurriness or vision loss in all or part of one eye. Retinal vein occlusion is most common in people who have hardened arteries in the eye. It can lead to glaucoma and macular edema.

In addition, high blood pressure raises the risk of stroke. Having a stroke can cause damage to the optic nerve or the part of the brain that processes images.

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Preventing Eye Problems Caused by High Blood Pressure

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

Controlling your blood pressure is the best way to prevent complications, including eye problems. To do this:

• Eat a healthy diet filled with whole grains, vegetables, fruit, healthy fats, and low-fat protein
• Exercise regularly: Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week
• Limit the amount of salt in your diet: Try to eat no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day — that’s the amount in a little less than ¾ tablespoon of salt
• Quit smoking
• Manage diabetes and high cholesterol if you have them
• Take medications your doctor prescribes, including medication for high blood pressure
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink: Women should have no more than one drink a day, and men no more than two
• Manage stress

Get Checked Regularly

In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to have a vision exam every year. Also, see your primary care doctor regularly for blood pressure control.