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Hypotension of the eye: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Hypotension of the eye occurs as a consequence of other diseases of the eyes or the whole body. Intraocular pressure may decrease to 7-8 mm Hg. Art. And lower from the true figures. The causes of hypotension are increased outflow of intraocular moisture from the eye or a violation of its secretion. Reduced secretion can be when the ciliary body is injured, resulting in inflammation, degenerative processes, atrophy or detachment from the sclera. Blunt trauma to the eye can also lead to a temporary inhibition of the secretion of intraocular moisture. Especially often, eye hypotension is observed after antiglaucoma operations and penetrating wounds with the formation of fistula.
Symptoms of eye hypotension
If the hypotension of the eye develops gradually and is slightly expressed, the eye functions remain. With acute and severe hypotension, there is a sharp vasodilation, a venous stasis, an increase in the permeability of capillaries, which leads to microthrombosis, hypoxia, acidosis, the fluid impregnates tissues, enhancing dystrophic processes in them. Acute hypoxia is clinically manifested in edema and opacity of the cornea and vitreous humor, the formation of retinal folds. The disc of the optic nerve is edematic, it develops atrophic processes. The eyeball as a result of atrophic processes in it decreases in size, and in severe cases shrivels due to the development of scar processes, sometimes reaching the size of a pea (atrophy of the eye).
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Treatment of eye hypotension
Treatment of eye hypotension consists in eliminating the causes of its appearance: closure of the fistula, opening of the ciliary-choroidal space (with accumulation of fluid there), treatment of inflammatory and dystrophic processes in the choroid of the eye.