Retinopathy simply refers to damage to the retina caused by disease. The retina is the layer of tissue and cells at the back of the eye that captures light and transmits that light as images to the brain. Any damage to the retina via injury or disease can and often leads to vision impairment or complete vision loss.

Disease that affects the retina usually impacts the blood vessels in the retina, which results in loss of vision. The most common diseases to cause retinopathy, are hypertension and diabetes.

High Blood Pressure Damages the Retina

Healthy blood pressure is generally considered less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic. The systolic number refers to the pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood out through the body. This number is measured when the heart beats. The diastolic number is the opposite pressure when the heart relaxes and fills with blood returning from the body, which is measured between heartbeats.

When the systolic pressure starts to push over 130 and that diastolic pressure over 80, a person starts to experience hypertension.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is usually caused by diets heavy in salts and fats, being overweight, not enough exercise and physical activity, over consumption of tobacco and alcohol, stress, and lack of sleep. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including the retina where it is called hypertensive retinopathy, damage to the blood vessels in the retina resulting in vision impairment or loss of vision entirely.

Diabetic Retinopathy

The other most common cause of retinopathy is diabetes. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can ultimately cause diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetes often results in hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, which if left untreated or unmanaged can lead to blockages or bulges in the blood vessels in the eye affecting essential blood supply and causing significant vision issues.

Retinopathy Prevention and Treatment

The best way to prevent retinopathy is to address the underlying diseases that cause damage to the retina. Managing and treating both hypertension and diabetes will help prevent damage to the retina and resulting retinopathy.

The next best way to prevent further damage and treat retinopathy is early diagnosis. An ophthalmologist will use both an ophthalmoscope during an exam and pre-screen with a Confocal Fundus Imaging System like the DRS Plus to closely examine the retina and observe for damage.

Blurry vision, double vision, floaters or spots in vision, unresolved eye pain, and decreased peripheral vision can all be early signs of retinopathy, though many patients do not experience significant symptoms before the damage is well established.

Regular comprehensive eye exams are always the most reliable way to prevent and treat any eye issues including retinopathy.

Retinopathy Resolved at Optical Expressions