Optometry Club

Hypertensive retinopathy is a condition that occurs when high blood pressure damages the blood vessels in the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The condition can lead to vision loss and other complications 1 2 3 . The acute effects of systemic arterial hypertension are a result of vasospasm to autoregulate perfusion. The chronic effects of hypertension are caused by arteriosclerosis and predispose patients to visual loss from complications of vascular occlusions or macroaneurysms 1 . Symptoms of hypertensive retinopathy include blurred vision, headaches, and eye discomfort 2 . The condition may be asymptomatic initially but eventually may notice vision problems 2 . The major risk factors for hypertensive retinopathy include high blood pressure, age, and smoking 2 . Diagnosis of hypertensive retinopathy is done during examination of the retina (innermost layer of the eyeball). Visual acuity test, pupil dilation, ophthalmoscopy, slit lamp examination, op

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that affects the eyes of people with diabetes. It is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The condition can develop in anyone who has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer you have diabetes and the less controlled your blood sugar is, the more likely you are to develop this eye complication 1 2 . Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include eye floaters, blurriness, black spots in the area of vision, loss of central vision, and blindness 1 . The condition may be with no symptoms initially but eventually may notice vision problems 1 . High levels of blood sugar damages and block the tiny blood vessels in the retina. To compensate for the loss of blood supply, the eye develops new vessels. These do not function well and cause leakage of blood leading to vision problems 1 . The major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include many years of diabetes, poorly controlled blood sugar