Eye floaters and high blood pressure are common conditions. This article explores their nature and examines whether one can influence the other.
Understanding Eye Floaters
Eye floaters appear as small specks, strings, or cobwebs that drift across the field of vision. They are most noticeable when looking at plain, bright backgrounds. While they seem to be in front of the eye, floaters are actually floating inside the eye itself.
These visual disturbances are caused by age-related changes in the vitreous humor, the gel-like substance filling the eye. As people age, the vitreous can liquefy and shrink, causing tiny clumps of collagen fibers to form. These clumps cast shadows on the retina, which is what a person perceives as floaters. Most eye floaters are harmless and a normal part of the aging process.
Understanding High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition where the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is consistently too high. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body. Blood pressure readings include two numbers: systolic and diastolic.
Systolic pressure, the top number, measures the pressure when the heart beats and pushes blood out. Diastolic pressure, the bottom number, measures the pressure when the heart rests between beats. High blood pressure often has no obvious symptoms, earning it the nickname “the silent killer,” but it can lead to serious health problems if left uncontrolled.
The Link Between High Blood Pressure and Floaters
High blood pressure itself does not directly cause the common, age-related eye floaters. However, severe and uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to serious eye complications that may result in vision disturbances, including floaters.
One such complication is hypertensive retinopathy, where persistently high blood pressure damages the delicate blood vessels in the retina. This damage can lead to fluid leakage or bleeding into the eye, which can manifest as floaters. Another condition is retinal vein occlusion, where a vein in the retina becomes blocked, potentially causing bleeding or fluid buildup that leads to floaters. Other common causes of floaters, unrelated to blood pressure, include nearsightedness, eye injury, and inflammation within the eye.
When to Seek Medical Attention for Floaters
While most floaters are benign, certain changes indicate a more serious underlying eye problem requiring immediate medical attention, regardless of blood pressure status. Seek an eye care professional promptly for a sudden increase in floaters.
Other warning signs include new flashes of light, a sudden shadow or “curtain” across part of the vision, or any loss of peripheral vision. These symptoms could signal a retinal tear or detachment, sight-threatening conditions requiring urgent evaluation and treatment to prevent permanent vision loss.