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High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension's effects on your body

Damage to your eyes

High blood pressure can damage the tiny, delicate blood vessels that supply blood to your eyes, causing:

  • Damage to your retina (retinopathy). Damage to the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye (retina) can lead to bleeding in the eye, blurred vision and complete loss of vision. You're at an even greater risk if you have diabetes in addition to high blood pressure.
  • Fluid buildup under the retina (choroidopathy). Choroidopathy can result in distorted vision or sometimes scarring that impairs vision.
  • Nerve damage (optic neuropathy). Blocked blood flow can damage the optic nerve, leading to bleeding within your eye or vision loss.