Can long-term high blood pressure lead to eye problems?

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High blood pressure (hypertension) can harm your eyes in a number of very serious ways. Understanding how hypertension may cause vision loss will hopefully spur you to keep your blood pressure under control.

The retina, the network of light-sensitive cells that lines the back of the eye, is nourished by tiny blood vessels. If a patient has high blood pressure, those vessels can be damaged, leading to abnormalities in the vessel walls and bleeding in the retina. Such damage is referred to as "hypertensive retinopathy."

Mild levels of hypertensive retinopathy generally do not affect vision. However, in more severe cases, high blood pressure can cause the retinal blood vessels to leak fluid, leading to swelling of the retina. When the retina becomes swollen, you lose your ability to see well. If blood pressure is exceptionally high, it is possible for even more serious problems to occur. The optic nerve can swell (a condition called papilledema), leading to permanent loss of vision.

Since we are talking about elevated blood pressure and vision, it bears mentioning that hypertension increases the risk of stroke -- and strokes may damage the brain's visual cortex, impairing vision or even leading to blindness, usually in one eye. Hypertension can also lead to disability and death by causing kidney failure and heart attacks. So, in summary, preserving vision is just one of many reasons that you should strive to keep your blood pressure under control.