If you are one of those distressed people suffering from high blood pressure, it is advisable to take appropriate care in the matter. It is because, in accordance with a new study, high blood pressure for a long period of time can increase the risk of the eye disease called glaucoma. Researchers say the findings suggest that doctors ought to consider the patient's blood pressure in the management of glaucoma.
Glaucoma is said to be the second most important cause of blindness in the world. Glaucoma occurs when too much pressure within the eye pushes back against the blood trying to enter the eye. All along, researchers and doctors were of the view that due to high blood pressure (hypertension) blood can enter the eye and could work against the high pressure on the eye that causes glaucoma.
On the other hand, the short-term study of one hour and the long term study of four weeks of high blood pressure conducted on rats with elevated eye pressure found that high blood pressure for long term actually increase the risk of glaucoma. The study was recently published in a medical journal on ophthalmology. When the researchers raised the blood pressure for four weeks, they did not get the same protection against elevated eye pressure as in the case short term.
What this means is that high blood pressure for a longer period of time has only put at risk the eye's ability to cope with high pressure on eyes. It appears that hypertension can damage blood vessels in the eye because of which it cannot compensate for changes in blood flow when there is pressure in the eye. These findings could help doctors give proper care to people with glaucoma.
More research is needed to find out the best way to treat people with high blood pressure who also develop glaucoma, the researchers said. Scientists note that research with animals often does not produce similar results in humans.
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