Does Heart Disease Increase Your Risk of Eye Problems | American Heart Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the United States, heart disease has been the leading cause of death since 1950. Heart disease can lead to a heart attack and stroke, but does having heart disease also affect your risk of eye problems? The answer is yes. 

What is heart disease? 

Heart disease may involve several problems related to the blood vessels and/or the heart. According to the American Heart Association, many issues associated with heart disease are caused by atherosclerosis. 

Atherosclerosis involves an accumulation of plaque on the arterial walls. Plaque may be more likely to build up in people with high cholesterol levels. When plaque builds up, it can interfere with normal blood flow to the heart and brain. 
​

Shared risk factors 

There are several controllable risk factors for heart disease. Several of these risk factors are also risks for developing eye diseases. 

Some of the risk factors for both heart disease and eye problems include: 

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Smoking 
• Obesity 
• Diabetes 

The above risk factors also may increase your risk of some eye conditions, such as: 

Glaucoma: This is a group of eye diseases that lead to damage to the optic nerve. 

Age-related macular degeneration: AMD is a disease affecting part of the retina called the macula – the part that allows for clear central vision. 

Retinal artery occlusion: This involves blood clots or damage to the artery in the retina. It can lead to vision loss. 
​

Why is heart disease associated with eye diseases? 

According to an article published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, multiple studies have indicated a strong association between heart disease and eye diseases. 

The link between heart and eye diseases may occur due to a few factors. For instance, high blood pressure may not just affect the vessels of the heart. It may also cause damage to the vessels in the retina. Some research found that people with high blood pressure were 5 times more likely to develop a retinal vein occlusion than people with normal blood pressure.

Obesity is also a shared risk for both heart disease and eye disease. Obesity may alter fatty deposits in the body and increase inflammation levels. Both of these factors likely contribute to the development of heart disease and possibly eye diseases. 

Additionally, when your heart does not function as it should, it can affect your entire body, including your eyes. Underlying blood vessel disease may likely compromise the circulation to the eyes. When your eyes do not get the oxygen and nutrients they need, the risk of eye problems increases. 
​

Decreasing your risk

Remember, several risk factors for both heart and eye diseases are controllable. You can take several steps to decrease the risk of problems, such as: 

• Getting regular exercise on most days of the week 
• Not smoking 
• Getting to and maintaining a healthy weight 
• Eating a heart-healthy diet
• Limit high-sodium foods that can contribute to high blood pressure 
• Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as deep breathing exercises and meditation 

Another crucial part of keeping your eyes healthy and preventing eye diseases is getting regular eye exams. A comprehensive eye exam can detect eye diseases in their early stages. Treating eye diseases early may help preserve vision.  

If you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600.