How to recognize and treat arterial hypertension of the retina

Arterial hypertension of the retina always proceeds with the defeat of target organs, among which the organ of vision.The insidiousness of the ailment is that a pathological effect is created on the vessels of the eyes in combination with a constant increase in pressure in the retina. This is fraught with a quick and irretrievable loss of visual function.

Definition of disease

Hypertensive retinal angiopathy is a disease in which small vascular structures of the arterial and venous type, concentrated at the bottom of the retina, are affected.To detect symptoms, pathologists perform a check not only of subjective signs of visual function impairment, but also objective symptoms that a doctor can identify with ophthalmoscopy.

Types and Classifications

Hypertensive retinopathy contributes to the destruction of medium and small vessels that participate in the nutrition of the organ of vision.

Given the degree of severity of the pathological process and the degree of vascular disorders, we can distinguish 3 stages of the disease:

1. Hypertensive angiopathy.It is characterized by pathological changes, the severity of which is insignificant. At the same time, a pronounced angiospastic process can be traced.
2. Hypertonic angiosclerosis.
3. Hypertensive angioretinopathy, neuroretinopathy.

Each of these stages has its own clinical picture, so in the process of examination and treatment of pathology, it is necessary to regularly visit an oculist.

Causes

Angiopathy of the retina according to the hypertonic type is the result of a prolonged or chronic increase in arterial pressure.It is considered high if the indicators exceed 140 mm Hg. The following factors can affect the development of angiopathy:

• genetic predisposition;
• obesity;
• irrational nutrition;
• regular fatigue;
• heavy physical labor;
• poor mobility, work that involves prolonged eye strain;
• lack of calcium and magnesium in the body;
• bad habits;
• individual features of the structure of the vessels;
• type of branching of blood vessels.

Sometimes hypertension and its hypertensive angiopathy are formed due to the presence of other pathologies. Affect the development of the disease of the central nervous system, disorders of the endocrine system.

If you do not start to treat hypertension on time, then this will lead to structural changes in the walls of the vessels. Then the blood circulation is broken, the organs work inferior.

Symptoms

Most often hypertensive angiopathy of the retina inflicts damage directly to two eyes.And although they diagnose the disease most of all in people after 30 years, it can strike absolutely everyone. The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

• temporary visual impairment occurring during pressure surges;
• slight visual impairment that occurs with organic changes;
• significant impairment of visual function or blindness;
• yellow spots on the eyes, indicating fatty deposits;
• Pain in the eyes;
• blood in the urine;
• joint pain while walking;
• bleeding from the nose.

Possible complications

If you do not treat the disease, you may experience the following complications: detached retina, glaucoma, cataract.All of them lead to vision impairment or blindness.

Complication after angiopathy - glaucoma

Diagnostics

In order for the treatment to be successful and adequate, the doctor must first perform a thorough diagnosis.

Only an ophthalmologist can choose a diagnostic method.

The most popular is the method of diagnosis, as an ophthalmoscope.Its essence boils down to the fact that the number of vessels in red and red light is determined. Thus, the vessels on the fundus in the red spectrum are not viewed as clearly as in ordinary or red light. Arterial vessels, which are narrowed by hypertensive angiopathy, are not seen as well as normal. And in the red light, they are completely out of sight.Using this method of diagnosis, it is possible to give an objective assessment of the state of the blood vessels on the fundus.

Ophthalmochromoscopy

The examination may require ultrasound of the organs, so that the doctor can evaluate the complete picture of the circulation. Due to the Doppler scan, it is possible to evaluate the changes in the vascular walls.Sometimes the doctor prescribes X-ray examination using a contrast medium to observe the patency of the vascular lumen.

Treatment

Medicines

To treat hypertensive agiopathy is possible, and, the faster to start therapy, the higher the chances for a successful recovery.During treatment it is important to eliminate high blood pressure. For this purpose appoint:

• Medicines, whose action is aimed at stopping the production of renin by the body. This substance, which leads to increased pressure. Effective drugs such as Kapoten, Prestarium, Spirapril remain.

"Kapoten" for lowering the pressure

• β-blockers.Their task is reduced to the inhibition of the heart rhythm due to the distal resistance of blood vessels. Can appoint Lokren and Atenolol.
• Diuretics, the effect of which is to remove excess fluid from the body. Effectively use clopamid and hydrocortisone.
• Drugs, whose action is aimed at increasing the vascular process and improving blood supply.Can appoint Felodipine, Corinfar.

In addition, doctors appoint and such means:

• Medicines for vasodilation. Thanks to them, it is possible to improve the blood supply of each organ, affecting capillaries and large vessels. Effectively apply Trental, Vazonite.
• Medicines, whose action is aimed at strengthening the blood vessels - Ginkgo, Parmidin.

Ginkgo for vascular strengthening

• Means for accelerated circulation - Pentoxifylline, Actovegil, Solcoseryl.
• Preparations for the dilution of blood: Aspirin, Aspekard, Cardiomagnol, Dipyridamole.
• Vitamin complexes - Aevit, Vitrum, Milgama.
• Means for improving metabolic processes - ATP, Cocarboxylase.
• Eye drops - Quinaks, Taufon, Aisotin, Emoxipine.

In addition, the patient should normalize his lifestyle.To do this, you have to give up bad habits, strong physical and psycho-emotional overload.Necessarily need to revise the food. It should contain foods rich in antioxidants, sour-milk products and vegetable oils.

Optical correction

To solve the problem, a method of treatment may be prescribed, which involves the use of a device such as Sidorenko's glasses.It can be used to optimize the vision at home.

Sidorenko's glasses

The uniqueness of this device is that it has a soft effect on tissues near the organ of vision, stimulates microcirculation, metabolic processes, positively affects the condition of the muscles of the eye.

The main advantages of this method are:

1. Blood circulation of eyeballs, retina and eyelids improves, stagnation of the venous passage decreases.
2. Improves the hydrodynamics of the organ of vision, more precisely, the circulation of the intraocular fluid.
3. Improves the saturation of tissues with oxygen, increases the production of protein, which improves nutrition of the organ of vision.
4. New vessels develop and haemodynamics of the retina in premature infants.
5. There is an accumulation of pharmacological drugs in the tissues and media of the organ of vision for oral and intravenous administration.

Advantages of Sidorenko points

Surgical method

In the treatment of hypertensive angiopathy, the retina can be assigned laser coagulation.This method of treatment effectively eliminates dystrophic changes in blood vessels or their ruptures. Carried out under local anesthesia. The procedure lasts for 15-30 minutes.
The patient thus does not feel pain and discomfort. All that is felt is the direct contact of the surface of the eye with the lens. The operation does not require in-patient observation.

Laser Coagulation Procedure

Immediately after the procedure, a person can go home.

After the operation, the flash effect may remain, but after a few minutes all this passes, and a person can see the surrounding world fully.

Prevention

For people who are genetically slanted to the disease or are overweight, they should think about the prevention of hypertension.For this, the following simple recommendations should be observed:

1. Perform physical training.Thanks to them, it is possible to normalize the psychoemotional state and functioning of the heart.
2. Improve nutrition.In the diet should be vegetables, berries, fruits, seafood, greens. It is necessary to exclude from the diet those products that lead to a disorder of the heart or blood circulation. This includes salt, garlic, alcohol, carbonated drinks.
3. Bring the weight back to normal.
4. Normalize the work so as not to overwork the body.We need to find time for rest and emotional relief, and normalize sleep.

Video

conclusions

Hypertensive angiopathy of the retina is a common disease in ophthalmology. You can treat it, because in most cases, a positive dynamics is seen.But only on condition of timely appeal for help.Otherwise, there may be a variety of complications that lead to partial or complete loss of vision.