Hypertensive retinopathy

Hypertensive retinopathy is a retinal vascular damage due to hypertension.

How it happens?
- Acute BP elevation
- Prolonged / severe hypertension

Due to hypertension, the small blood vessels in the retina are damaged. This results in a thickened blood vessels' wall, decreasing their blood flow to the retina. Some parts of the retina which did not receive enough blood becomes damaged. Eventually, there is blood leakage, resulting in blindness if the macula is affected.

Hypertensive patients who have diabetes as well are at an increased risk of vision loss.
Smoking aggravates the adverse effect of hypertension on retina

Symptoms - headache, vision problems

Signs (through fundoscopy)
- vasocontriction of retinal blood vessels
- fluid oozing from blood vessels
- cotton wool spots & hard exudates
- swelling of optic nerve and macula
- bleeding in the back of the eye

THE ONE AND ONLY TREATMENT - treat the underlying cause, ie, hypertension