Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, can damage the vascular network in your eyes resulting in hypertensive retinopathy which negatively impacts vision in various ways.

Early stages typically do not produce symptoms; however, as it progresses fluid can leak into the retina’s central area (macula) resulting in blurred vision and potentially blind spots.

Symptoms

Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure, is well known to damage both heart and kidney health, but it can also wreak havoc with eyesight. Over time, its impact can impact delicate blood vessels in the retina that provide vision; they narrow and become constricted over time, restricting blood flow to damage retina cells resulting in vision loss or blindness in many instances.

Blurry vision is often associated with high blood pressure, but it could also be the result of other factors. It could be presbyopia – a condition which causes blurry vision as you age – or computer vision syndrome caused by prolonged computer use that strains and focuses your eyes; either of which can be managed through frequent rest breaks, special glasses and ergonomic workstation set-up.

As another potential sign, headaches may also be experienced by pregnant patients due to stress, sleep deprivation, diet or medication changes, blurred vision can sometimes indicate impending stroke. A stroke can be dangerous both to its recipient as well as their unborn baby; thus any sudden change in vision should be investigated immediately.

Preeclampsia, characterized by very high blood pressure and excess protein in urine, is another condition which may cause blurry vision in pregnant women, though migraines also tend to produce these symptoms, typically worsening as time progresses.

High blood pressure also can cause fluid buildup in the lungs, leading to shortness of breath and chest pain. Furthermore, hypertension may alter optic nerve functioning – transmitting visual information from retina to brain via optic nerve fibers – leading to optic neuropathy that in extreme cases may be fatal.

Diagnosis

Blurry vision can be caused by many things, including allergies, migraines, eyestrain or the need for updated contacts or glasses prescription. When this occurs it should not go away by blinking; rather it should immediately contact their physician so as to rule out stroke, heart attacks and other potentially life-threatening conditions.

Blurred vision often occurs due to high blood pressure damaging blood vessels supplying the eye, leading to damage of these vital vessels supplying blood supply, such as retinaopathy or choroidopathy – with fluid seeping into retina, scarring or leakage and consequent distortion or blurriness resulting from both conditions – both linked with hypertension.

Hypertension can also damage the arteries that supply blood to the brain, potentially resulting in stroke when its blood supply is interrupted due to clotting, embolus or dissection. A sudden change in vision that does not go away after blinking often signals this condition followed by dizziness, numbness, headache and difficulty speaking or swallowing and eventually dizziness.

Hypertension has the ability to cause irreparable kidney damage, leading to kidney disease. If high blood pressure remains untreated for too long, however, the greater is its impact and risk for other complications, including vision loss.

Blurry vision can also be an early symptom of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, wherein inflammation of the optic nerve causes blurred vision to occur as an early indicator.

Hypertension may result in blue or yellow rings around the cornea of one or both eyes, signaling high cholesterol. This symptom is most often observed among young people and women, and should prompt patients to visit their physician to check cholesterol levels and discuss ways of decreasing high blood pressure-related eye problems through medications, diet changes or regular physical exercise.

Treatment

High blood pressure can have detrimental effects on kidneys, eyes and other organs. Hypertensive retinopathy – in which hypertension alters the delicate blood vessels of the retina that provide vision – is particularly sensitive to changes in blood pressure levels, potentially leading to damage over time that could ultimately result in vision loss; symptoms like blurred vision may not surface until significant damage has already been done by this disease.

Blurred vision caused by high blood pressure can best be treated through strict control. This typically includes diet and exercise changes, medication usage and regular visits with health care professionals. A health care provider may order an eye examination in order to ascertain any damage done.

Blurry vision may be one of the early indicators of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, where inflammation causes optic nerve irritation which in turn results in blurry vision as well as pain, redness or light sensitivity of one or both eyes.

Blurred vision can be an early warning of stroke, in which blood vessels in the brain rupture or bleed, as well as preeclampsia, an extremely high blood pressure condition during pregnancy characterized by protein in urine and high blood pressure levels.

Blurred vision from high blood pressure may not require immediate treatment, however it’s essential that any disease be diagnosed and addressed immediately in order to lower its risk of further organ damage. For vision problems associated with high blood pressure the most effective remedy includes medications to lower artery blood pressure and decrease fluid buildup in lungs; lifestyle modifications (eating healthily, exercising regularly and losing weight) along with medications like beta blockers or diuretics may also help manage it effectively.

In extreme cases, where the ocular pressure is very high, surgery may be used to drain fluid from the eyes. This may be done using laser beams of light that open channels for fluid drainage from inside the eye; or through more conventional surgery where tissue is removed to create channels.

Prevention

If your blurred vision appears suddenly and is unrelated to allergies, eye infections or common causes like eyestrain, migraines or age-related blurriness from growing older, it is wise to visit a doctor in order to check your blood pressure levels. Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk for serious health complications including stroke, kidney disease and heart attacks – an annual checkup can keep your vision in optimal condition and protect you against serious risks.