Ocular hypertension is a condition characterized by increased Intraocular Pressure (IOP), caused by a build-up of fluid in the eye. It isn’t necessary that ocular hypertension can cause long-term health concerns. Ocular emergencies primary care can cause damage to the ocular nerve and might lead to blindness if it's not treated right.
Although ocular hypertension is usually caused by retinal degeneration and the leakage of fluids in the eyes, there are other reasons why you could suffer from the condition.
Understanding Ocular Hypertension
The human eye is filled with a substance called aqueous humor that is responsible for maintaining the shape and structure of the eye. This clear liquid maintains the appropriate pressure in the eye, without which the eye would collapse in on itself.
Sometimes because of vessel leakage, excessive production of aqueous humor or inadequate drainage can raise this pressure to cause discomfort in the eye. There are no symptoms of the condition and is usually detected through a routine examination, which includes an eye pressure test.
The Causes of Ocular Hypertension
There can be many reasons for why you might develop the condition. These include:
Overproduction of Aqueous Humor
Aqueous humor is the sole perpetrator of raised IOP. If your eye starts producing too much aqueous humor, you will develop ocular hypertension since you eye just can’t accommodate this high a level of humor in it.
Insufficient Drainage
As the eye produces aqueous humor, it also drains out an equal amount to maintain the balance. Sometimes the drainage process is slowed down so that the amount being drained out isn’t equal to the amount being produced. This inadequate drainage increases the amount of aqueous humor in the eye, thus causing high IOP.
Medication Side-Effects
Certain medications like those used to treat allergies or used in LASIK recovery have been shown to induce ocular hypertension. This is also a commonly observed side-effect in patients taking cardiac medication, recovering from bone marrow transplants and erectile dysfunction.
Eye Injuries
Eye injuries can sometimes hamper the aqueous drainage process in the eye. If your eye has suffered direct trauma like a blow to the eye or even cuts, then it’s possible that you may develop high IoP.
Eye Conditions That Cause High IoP
Conditions like pseudoexfoliation syndrome can also cause high IoP, the condition is characterized by the formation of light gray particles that can lodge themselves in the pathways which drain the eye of aqueous humor. Other conditions that cause high IoP include pigment dispersion syndrome and corneal arcus.
At Dr. Gilberg & Associates, we’ve been serving the North Miami area with top quality eye doctor near me for the last ten years. We pride ourselves on providing state-of-the-art services and affordable medical treatment including contact lens examinations and digital eye exams to patients for a variety of eye-related problem. Learn more about our services here.