Retinal angiopathy in both eyes - what is it and how to treat it?

Through the eyes we receive most of the information from the outside world. When problems arise with this sense organ, the quality of life can be significantly reduced. There are many diseases of the organs of vision, in the article we will get acquainted with one of them: angiopathy of the retina of both eyes. What is it, and for what reasons arises, we will try to find out.

What is angiopathy?

This disease is associated with problems in the functioning of blood vessels, which can be triggered by various deviations in the nervous regulation or changes in vascular tone. As a result, vessels and capillaries alter their shape, become sinuous, in some places they can narrow or expand.

As a rule, angiopathy is a consequence of another disease, the essence of which is reduced to the disruption of the vessels of the whole organism, in particular those that nourish the eyes. This disease can occur not only in adults, but also in children. Usually, angiopathy begins its development after 35-40 years.

Varieties of ailment

The classification of angiopathy is based on the underlying disease that triggered a disturbance in the functioning of the vessels. Given this, the following types of angiopathy are distinguished:

1. Diabetic retinal angiopathy in both eyes. The name already speaks for itself. The provocateur is diabetes. In medical circles, they distinguish: microangiopathy (the walls of the capillaries become thinner, which can result in hemorrhage), macroangiopathy (larger eye vessels are already affected).
2. Hypertensive retinal angiopathy in both eyes. The provocateur is hypertension. With this disease, the eye veins become sinuous, their diameter increases, and the walls become thinner. Capillaries become brittle, resulting in hemorrhages.
3. Hypotonic angiopathy. If there is stable hypotension, then the vessels lose their elasticity, so blood circulation slows down, blood clots can appear in them. A person begins to feel a constant throbbing in his eyes, discomfort.
4. Traumatic angiopathy. It arises as a result of an injury to the cervical spine, chest, brain. After this, intracranial pressure increases, the vessels are compressed, so the nutrition of the eyes is disturbed.
5. Youthful angiopathy. The etiology is not exactly identified, but the disease provokes the transformation of the retina into connective tissue, hemorrhages and inflammatory processes in the capillaries.
6. There is retinal angiopathy in both eyes in a premature baby. The cause can be various complications during childbirth or birth trauma.
7. Pregnant Angiopathy. If you identify it in the early stages, then serious consequences can be avoided, but the neglected form threatens retinal detachment. This disease usually develops in the second half of pregnancy amid high blood pressure or diseases that lead to problems with blood vessels.

Here is such a retinal angiopathy in both eyes, what is it, we will understand further.

Hypertensive angiopathy and its degrees

Angiopathy, which is provoked by high blood pressure, is classified by the degree of manifestation. An ophthalmologist can determine the degree of the disease when examining the fundus.

Retinal angiopathy of the 1st degree in both eyes has the following manifestations:

• Arteries on the retina are narrowed, and veins are dilated.
• The diameter of the vessels is not the same.
• The vessels become sinuous.

2 degree is manifested:

• The vessels become different in diameter and more sinuous.
• Due to the narrow passage, the vessels resemble copper wire, and a little later - silver.
• You can see thrombosis of the vessels of the fundus and in some places of hemorrhage.
• The fundus becomes pale.

The last degree of the disease looks like this:

• Multiple retinal hemorrhages.
• The retina is swollen.
• The foci of white are visible.
• The optic nerve has fuzzy borders and becomes swollen ..

The sooner treatment is started, the more effective it will be.

The causes of the disease

First of all, we’ll try to find out what causes the development of angiopathy. These include:

• Problems in the work of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the tone of the walls of blood vessels.
• Vasculitis disease.
• Diabetes in a progressive stage.
• High pressure.
• Intracranial pressure.
• Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
• Passion for smoking.
• Hematologic diseases.
• Age-related changes in the retina. For example, if there is presbyopia, retinal angiopathy in both eyes will develop even more rapidly.
• Constantly surrounded by dangerous and harmful substances.
• Body poisoning.
• Congenital features of blood vessels.
• Injuries, especially to the head.
• The effect of certain drugs.
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system, accompanied by high blood pressure.

It turns out that there are many reasons for the development of angiopathy of the retinal vessels of both eyes.

Symptoms of the disease

At the first stages of its development, angiopathy may not be disturbing and may not manifest itself in any way. But most often with its development, it is simply impossible not to notice problems. Here are some typical manifestations of the disease:

1. Vision is getting worse.
2. Blurred eyes.
3. Deteriorating visibility of objects over long distances.
4. In severe cases, complete loss of vision is possible.
5. In some situations, nosebleeds are possible, but this does not happen in everyone and not in every case.
6. The patient can see frequent flashes in the eyes, light circles.
7. There is intraocular pressure, a feeling may appear that the eyeballs are increasing in size.
8. Additional symptoms of angiopathy include pain in the legs, blood in the urine.

If at least some of the listed symptoms are noticed, then, possibly, retinal angiopathy of both eyes develops. What is this, the doctor will explain, for an appointment to which you must urgently make an appointment.

Diagnosis of ailment

In the treatment of any disease, making the right diagnosis is the first step on the path to recovery. If the disease is diagnosed incorrectly, we can conclude that the treatment will not bring the expected result or will make it even worse.

Only an optometrist can detect angiopathy. The doctor has special equipment with which he will examine the fundus and evaluate the condition of the retina. In order for the treatment to be successful, it is necessary to find out the cause of the disease, so you can not do without conducting diagnostic procedures. The doctor may prescribe:

1. Ultrasound scanning of the entire vascular system of the body to assess its condition.
2. Angiography. For this, a special composition is introduced into the vessels and an x-ray is taken, which the doctor then examines or describes the computer.
3. MRI will allow you to assess the state of the tissues of the whole organism.

After finding out all the reasons and making an accurate diagnosis, the specialist will prescribe treatment.

Angiopathy therapy

If the diagnosis is “retinal angiopathy in both eyes”, the treatment will be individual in each case. The degree of the disease, the reason that provoked it, affects the choice of treatment tactics. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the provoking factors, for example, if hypertension became the cause, then antihypertensive drugs are prescribed.

Therapy of angiopathy is always carried out comprehensively and includes the following areas:

1. Prescribed drugs that improve blood circulation in the eye and strengthen the walls of blood vessels: Actovegin, Trental, Cavinton.

2. Drugs that help reduce vascular permeability, this group can include: "Dobesilat", "Parmidin."

3. Vitamin complexes are prescribed, especially those that contain vitamins of groups B, C, P, E.

4. Drugs that prevent blood clots, for example, “Lospirin”, “Magnikor”, “Ticlodipine”.

5. It is necessary to take drops in the eyes to improve microcirculation: Taufon, Emoksipin.

6. It is mandatory to take medications for a disease that provoked the development of angiopathy.

7. Physiotherapy. A positive effect is given by laser irradiation, acupuncture.

8. Alternative methods of treating this disease can be used. Traditional healers recommend using infusions of chamomile, hypericum, hawthorn, lemon balm.

If the course of treatment has not brought positive results, and the disease is only progressing, then you will have to resort to surgical intervention. Currently, doctors use the following methods:

• Laser coagulation of the retina.
• Vitrectomy.
• Photocoagulation.

In advanced cases, blood purification by hemodialysis is recommended.

Even modern medicine is not able to work miracles and completely cure and restore vision if the patient himself later asked for help and did not follow all the doctor's recommendations.

Prediction of angiopathy treatment

In the case when the patient consults the doctor on time, when he has just begun to notice problems with the eyes, the treatment gives quite effective results, vision is almost completely restored. Angiopathy in children responds well, since the organ of vision in them is still being formed, so recovery does not cause problems.

Modern treatment methods can restore vision and take all necessary measures to prevent its decline.

Disease prevention

In order to prevent the development of angiopathy, the following recommendations should be observed:

1. If there are chronic diseases, then it is necessary to regularly undergo a course of treatment.
2. Lead a healthy lifestyle.
3. Even in the absence of visible vision problems, it is necessary to undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist once a year to identify the problem at an early stage.
4. If the patient is at risk, that is, has diabetes mellitus, hypertension, then it is advisable to undergo examinations 2-3 times a year.
5. If the initial stage of angiopathy is detected in a pregnant woman, then the most optimal way of delivery will be a cesarean section.

So you can prevent the appearance of a disease such as retinal angiopathy in both eyes. What is this, we found out, and we can conclude that with timely treatment of the disease is quite treatable. All good health and good vision!