With many diseases of the internal organs, pathological changes in the vessels occur. They are called angiopathies and pose a serious health hazard. One of the major vascular lesions is retinal angiopathy. It causes significant visual impairment and even blindness. Especially often it develops in diabetes and hypertension.
Also, retinal angiopathy can be the result of hypotension, collagenoses, eclampsia (severe pregnancy toxicosis), chest trauma, and youthful angiopathy.
The cause of vascular changes is a violation of the nervous regulation of vascular tone. With timely and adequate treatment, they may disappear. If treatment is not carried out, retinal angiopathy becomes angiosclerosis, and it is irreversible. In violation of nervous regulation, spasms of arteries and expansion of the veins occur. If organic changes in the vascular wall appear in the form of its compaction, this means the onset of angiosclerosis. It is characterized by the appearance of special signs called the symptoms of silver and copper wire, or, according to the authors, Salus-Hunn.
If additional lesions appear in the fundus in the form of edema, inflammation or hemorrhage, this picture is called retinopathy.
Angioretinopathy is a combination of vascular changes and retinopathy. With damage to the optic nerve, we will already be talking about neuroretinopathy.
Retinal Changes in Diabetes
Vascular changes in diabetes are associated with the deposition of mucopolysaccharides on their walls, thickening of the walls, and a decrease in the lumen of blood vessels. The ability of red blood cells to adhere to the walls of blood vessels also increases (this is called increased aggregation). Because of this, circulatory disorders occur and retinal hypoxia develops. Compensation increases the formation of new blood vessels, but they are inferior and easily burst. This can lead to retinal detachment.
Fundus changes in diabetes are divided into three stages. Initially, retinal angiopathy in both eyes is manifested by expansion of veins, the appearance of microaneurysms of arteries, and single hemorrhages. At the second stage, these changes increase, the tortuosity of the veins appears, their distinct expansion, swelling of the retina. There are numerous hemorrhages in the form of stripes, flames, spots. In the third phase, the development of glial tissue is visible. Newly formed vessels appear. Retinal detachment becomes possible.
Retinal changes occur more often in women. The likelihood of their occurrence is greater with type 1 diabetes. To prevent angiopathy and retinopathy in diabetes, you need to carefully monitor blood sugar, preventing its increase.
Retinal Changes in Hypertension
Hypertension is characterized by clear changes in the fundus. An examination of it with this disease is necessary to clarify the stage of the disease, its prognosis, and control over the correctness of treatment.
Retinal changes occur in several stages. At the first stage, which corresponds to the onset of hypertension, retinal angiopathy develops with expansion of veins, the appearance of narrowing of arteries. The angle of divergence of veins of 3 and 2 orders increases. There may be slight hyperemia on the optic disc. With a persistent decrease in pressure, all these changes pass.
In the second stage, sclerotic changes in blood vessels develop. Their wall thickens, and the clearance decreases. They acquire a yellow-red, and then a white tint (symptoms of copper and silver wire). At the same time, the compaction of the artery compresses the vein at the place of their intersection, and symptoms of Salus appear. The third and fourth stage of changes are the development of retinopathy and neuroretinopathy. If angiopathy of the retina at the onset of hypertension passes without a trace, then the subsequent stages of changes in blood vessels and the fundus are irreversible.
All this indicates the importance of timely and proper treatment of the underlying disease. Do not forget about it, and good health to you!