Glaucoma develops when intraocular eye pressure increases, pushing back against the normal blood pressure trying to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the eye. Normal eye pressure is 12-21 mm Hg. Anything above 21 is considered elevated.
We are all potentially susceptible to glaucoma with or without risk factors. Of course, certain factors increase this risk, such as age, race, genetics, and even high blood pressure. That’s right; according to a new study published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, long-term high blood pressure may increase the risk of glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the world. Researchers studied short-term (one hour) and long-term (four weeks) high blood pressure in rats with elevated eye pressure.
“When we raised blood pressure . . . for four weeks, we didn’t get the same protection against eye pressure elevation as in the [one-hour] case,” explained Bang Bui, study author. “What this means is that having high blood pressure for a longer time has compromised the eye’s capacity to cope with high eye pressure.
“It seems that hypertension might damage the blood vessels in the eye so that they can’t compensate for changes in blood flow when eye pressure increases.”
Further research is still needed to determine if these results are similar in humans.
Glaucoma Treatment in Maryland
The Anne Arundel Eye Center is a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Over the years, board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision. When caught early, glaucoma treatment successfully preserves vision 95% of the time or more. So the only question is… when was your last eye exam?
Dr. Boles will diagnose your specific condition and make recommendations for treatment and future glaucoma management.
If you have any questions about Glaucoma Treatment or wish to schedule an appointment with Anne Arundel Eye Center (AAEC), please contact Board Certified Ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, Dr. Kathryn Gurganus Turner, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010 or Click Here to fill out our contact form.
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For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.