People with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, may have damage to the blood vessels of the eye. The whites of the eyes have visible blood vessels, but damage may also occur to the vessels inside the eye. In some cases, the eyes may offer one of the earliest clues to a problem with high blood pressure. As such, knowing the eye symptoms of high blood pressure may aid in detecting a potential problem.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
A visible symptom of high blood pressure occurs in the whites of the eyes. The pressure from hypertension can cause a blood vessel on the eye's surface to burst, creating a bright red patch on the white of the eye, called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. The broken blood vessel does not cause pain or vision changes, and should resolve within a week or so, explains MedlinePlus. Alone, a hemorrhage does not indicate a problem with blood pressure, since coughing, sneezing or a blink of the eye may cause a vessel to burst. However, if a person experiences frequent subconjunctival hemorrhages, she should discuss the occurrences and frequency with her doctor.
Hypertensive Retinopathy
Blood vessels feed the entire eye with nourishing blood, and high blood pressure may harm any of these vessels, damaging the eye itself. The retina, the blood vessel-filled lining of the back of the eye, often has damage from hypertension, a condition called hypertensive retinopathy. During an eye examination, an eye doctor may see narrow vessels, states the University of Maryland Medical Center. The doctor may notice a bleed, as well, if the high blood pressure caused one of the vessels to burst. In advanced stages of hypertensive retinopathy, a person may notice subtle or extensive changes in vision, including complete loss of vision. Doctors have no treatment for hypertensive retinopathy except to bring the blood pressure under control.
Prevention
Once a person has high blood pressure, she has no way to prevent the symptoms from appearing in the whites of the eyes or on the retina. If she knows she has high blood pressure, she should check her blood pressure regularly and take all prescribed medications to keep hypertension under control. As well, preventing hypertension may reduce the risks of associated eye problems. Healthful eating, good weight and an active lifestyle may help prevent high blood pressure, explains the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
