Blood Pressure

Blood Pressure and the Eyes

Blood pressure is a term that is commonly misunderstood. It is of great importance that we know that the normal range of blood pressure depends on the age, sex and weight of every person. There are two figures for blood pressure. The higher figure is called systolic and lower is diastolic. The normal ranges are as follows:

Blood pressure in females is lower than it is in males. It is also lower in debilitated and weak persons than in sturdy persons or those who work hard.

High blood pressure is one that crosses these normal figures, but mild or temporary rise has no significance. A pressure of 150 to 170 (systolic) and 60-80 (diastolic) is quite .normal in old age. But values above 180/80 are high and require treatment.

Mental anxiety, sleeplessness, anger and stress do affect the range, but a substantial rise in blood pressure is almost always due to an abnormal strain on the heart, kidney or brain. A raised blood pressure is the result of something going wrong somewhere in these organs. A complete check-up of the heart and its blood vessels, and the kidney is called for routinely in old age. In young persons and in children, high blood pressure can also be due to brain disease and hormones, besides problems in the other aforementioned organs. Arteriosclerosis (hardening of vessels) and high cholesterol (high fat content) are predisposing factors in producing heart strain and raised blood pressure. A high percentage is also hereditary.

Low blood pressure is, on the other hand, the end result of blood deficiency. Anemia, general debility and weakness, irregular or heavy menstrual cycles in women and nutritional deficiency can cause low blood pressure.

The Eye affected by Raised Blood Pressure Long-standing high blood pressure affects the retinal blood vessels, causing their hardening or weakening, or blocking blood circulation and resulting in loss of vision. The retina, the most vital part of the eye, gets weak. If the blood pressure is very high, i.e. in range of systolic 210, 220, and 230 and diastolic 110, 120 and 140, it may cause a hemorrhage of the retina and, as a result, loss of vision. It is very important to find out whether high blood pressure is present in case the eye is to undergo a surgical operation. The surgeon will always want a normalized pressure before operating to avoid a hemorrhage during or after operation. That high blooG. Pressure is associated with high tension of glaucoma: s a fallacy. The pressure of body blood pressure has no direct relation with the of glaucoma.