We all take our vision for granted, but sometimes loss of vision can sneak up on us. If you’re over 40, you may be among that 5-10% of people who have ocular hypertension. There are typically no obvious symptoms of ocular hypertension, but the condition can be easily diagnosed. If left undiagnosed, it can lead to more serious conditions like glaucoma.

What is Ocular Hypertension?

Ocular hypertension simply means the pressure in your eyes is higher than normal – just like hypertension in your circulatory system. If it’s left untreated, high eye pressure may cause glaucoma and permanent vision loss in some people.

Imagine your eye as a beach ball inflated by pressure and you can understand why the pressure should be monitored. Pressure that is too high prevents the eye from draining properly. If that pressure continues to increase within your eye can damage the eye’s delicate optic nerve, causing glaucoma.

Diagnosing and Treatment of Hypertension

How will you know if you have ocular hypertension? You won’t. There’s no outward signs like blurry vision, red eyes or eye pain. Only a comprehensive eye exam that measures your IOP (intraocular pressure) can spot it. Generally, an eye pressure reading of 21 mmHg or higher indicates ocular hypertension.

If you discover you have ocular hypertension, your eye doctor might prescribe eye drops to reduce the eye pressure. But medications can have side effects, so many eye doctors chose to monitor your IOP and take action only if you show other signs of developing glaucoma.

In some cases, your eye doctor might recommend other glaucoma treatment measures, including glaucoma surgery, to treat high eye pressure. Our main goal is to make sure you have your IOP measured at least every few years. If you haven’t had your eye pressure checked recently, schedule an appointment with a Vistar Eye doctor today.