{"id":8667,"date":"2019-08-01T15:05:20","date_gmt":"2019-08-01T15:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=8667"},"modified":"2021-11-09T13:56:20","modified_gmt":"2021-11-09T13:56:20","slug":"14-main-causes-of-elevated-eye-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-main-causes-of-elevated-eye-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Main Causes of Elevated Eye Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Elevated eye pressure is a problem that affects lots of people, and your risk for it only goes up as you age. Elevated eye pressure is also known as ocular hypertension. What it means is that your intraocular pressure is outside of the normal range. If this goes untreated, it can have serious results down the road. It could even result in complete vision loss. But this doesn\u2019t happen with everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people can have ocular hypertension without any damage occurring. Between approximately 5% and 10% of Americans age 40 or older have ocular hypertension and that increases their risk of glaucoma. Glaucoma and IOP have a tenuous relationship. Some people believe that having glaucoma first is what causes elevated eye pressure, but others believe that elevated eye pressure is just a symptom of glaucoma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a look at eight of the main causes of elevated eye pressure so that you can recognize the symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Excessive Fluid Production<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Excessive fluid production, also known as excessive aqueous production, is a condition where the eye produces more of the clear fluid created by the ciliary body which is located right behind the iris; the aqueous flows through the pupil and then fills the anterior chamber with fluid; that\u2019s the space within the iris and the cornea<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aqueous also drains from the eye through what is called the trabecular meshwork. It is located at the very edge of the anterior chamber where the cornea in the iris meat. If the ciliary body produces too much of this clear liquid, then the pressure inside the eye can increase and this is exactly what causes ocular hypertension. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your doctor may prescribe you medication or offer other solutions in order to drain the clear liquid better or to get your body to stop producing so much of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Medications<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some medications<\/a> may cause ocular hypertension as well, but this is something that only happens in certain individuals. Most of the time, your doctor will know whether you are at a higher risk for developing ocular hypertension or not and will avoid prescribing medications that may result in this hypertension. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, sometimes it is impossible for a doctor to know that that is going to happen. Either that or the risk may be negligible and you just had the bad luck to be one of those individuals that developed ocular hypertension from the use of a certain medication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the things that have been shown to cause increased eye pressure in certain groups of people is steroid eye drops. This is often prescribed after LASIK or other refractive surgeries. You may want to consult with your ophthalmologist if you are prescribed these eyedrops and are concerned about the risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Trauma to the Eye<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you experience trauma to the eye, then you are at a higher risk of developing elevated eye pressure as well. Trauma <\/a>is one of the major causes of this particular condition because the components of the eye are so sensitive that even a small injury can result in a great deal of damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The affected components would be the aqueous, chamber, and anything else involved in awkwardness production in drainage. If the drainage specifically is compromised, then it is easy to see how increased eye pressure could happen. This doesn\u2019t have to happen right after an injury either. It could be months or years down the road before you see the symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to make sure that you do not develop symptoms down the road, it is best you tell your doctor about any trauma you sustained no matter how small or insignificant you think it is so that he or she can evaluate whether it caused damage to your eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Glaucoma<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Glaucoma <\/a>is an extremely complex eye disease that is extremely destructive results. For example, one of those results may opt nerve damage, severe pain, and limited field of vision. Some people with glaucoma actually lose their eyesight completely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intraocular pressure is almost always present when someone has glaucoma. Many researchers believe that it is actually the elevated eye pressure that can lead to glaucoma and not the other way around. Others may disagree. The pressure of your eyes is measured in millimeters of mercury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The normal ranges 12 to 22 mm anything above 22 is considered higher than normal. You can develop glaucoma without having elevated hypertension in the eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, having IOP can mean that you are at a much higher risk of developing glaucoma, and you may develop IOP after being diagnosed with glaucoma. This is why you want to talk to your doctor immediately after noticing any eye symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This condition is an interesting one because no one knows exactly what causes this condition, and it is relatively rare. If you have this disease, then you\u2019re going to notice spots on your eyes. Ocular hypertension is another one of those symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason you see spots on your eyes is because light gray snowflake material can begin to gather on the margin of the pupil <\/a>in the anterior lens. How it causes increased eye pressure is by lodging in the trabecular meshwork. This is where the eye drains that clear fluid, and when it is unable to drain, then pressure begins to build. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can have devastating consequences and result in a certain type of glaucoma called pseudoexfoliative open-angle glaucoma. However, this condition is relatively rare, but if you do notice gray spots on your eyes or any obstruction feel the vision then you want to contact your doctor right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Pigment Dispersion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is a condition where the pigment of the eye goes places where it is not supposed to be. Normally the pigment of the eye stays put and makes up the colored part of the eye. This is what makes eyes appear to be blue, green, brown, and other colors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colored part of the eye is known as the iris. Normally, pigment granules stick very closely to the iris, but with this condition, they actually detach themselves from the iris and then move on to the rear surface of the cornea and various other structures in the back chamber of the eye<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But some of those granules may actually accumulate in the drainage of that chamber which means that the drainage is partially blocked. If the eye cannot drain properly, then pressure builds and results in intraocular pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Arcus Senilis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is often found in older individuals which is why it is so named. However, a version of this illness that has nothing to do with age has also emerged. They are calling this condition a corneal arcus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This condition is marked for both by a white or gray clouding around the periphery of the eyes. Researchers at been able to associate this problem with high cholesterol<\/a>, which is why those that are older will have more time to have developed high cholesterol which can result in this condition. Sometimes, this is arc-shaped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Hypertension<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hypertension <\/a>in other parts of the body can actually contribute to hypertension that your eye experiences. The body is connected through nerves and veins and arteries. Blood flow goes over from all over the body, and it is not a huge stretch to imagine that if you see hypertensive symptoms in the heart then you are probably going to see hypertensive symptoms in the eyes as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hypertension of the body means that the blood flow is not always able to get through properly. A blocked artery can contribute to this hypertension which is simply a measurement of how much harder your heart has to work in order to get blood to go to all the places in the body where it needs to go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your doctor can prescribe blood thinners and original have diet and exercise that may permanently or temporarily lower your blood pressure and there may be additional treatment specifically for increased pressure in the eyes that your doctor has access to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Diabetes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 35-million Americans live with the blood sugar disorder diabetes. Diabetes <\/a>occurs in individuals with low insulin sensitivity in the pancreas. As a result, the patient has trouble regulating insulin, the primary hormone involved in blood sugar management. Diabetes varies from person to person, and type-2 diabetes accounts for more than 90% of all cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People with diabetes rely on exogenous delivery of insulin through subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. It’s important to note that more than 50-million Americans are dealing with the condition “prediabetes,” where they are at risk of developing type-2 diabetes. People with prediabetes can reduce their risk by stopping the consumption of sugary foods and foods containing large amounts of fast-digesting carbohydrates and bad fats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People with diabetes are at higher risk of developing elevated eye pressure, progressing into glaucoma. If you’re struggling to manage your blood sugar levels and you’re noticing the onset of eye pressure, speak to your doctor for advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. High Myopia (Nearsightedness)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Myopia <\/a>is a medical term describing nearsightedness. People with this vision disorder find it challenging to identify objects in the distance clearly. The extent of myopia can vary from person to person, depending on the risk factors involved with each individual’s situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myopia occurs when the eyeball elongates or the cornea starts to curve. As the eye distorts shape, the affected individual has trouble with light entering the eye, forming the image in front of the retina. The result is that the eye can’t focus properly, causing blurry vision. Medical professionals refer to this disorder as a “refractive error.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically, optometrists can resolve the focusing problem with myopia using glasses. However, some patient experiences the onset of high myopia, where the eyeball grows to an unnatural size, resulting in elongation from the front to the back of the eyeball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more the eyeball deforms, the more the patient’s vision deteriorates. If left unmanaged and untreated, high myopia can result in the onset of severe complications, such as elevated eye pressure, glaucoma, and cataracts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As with any other disease, there is a set of risk factors<\/a> making some individuals at higher risk of developing elevated eye pressure. Speak to your doctor if you find yourself in any of the risk categories mentioned below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n