Hypertensive retinopathy

**Definition:** Hypertensive retinopathy is the most common ocular presentation of hypertension. The arteriosclerotic changes of hypertensive retinopathy are caused by chronically elevated blood pressure. Hypertensive retinopathy includes 2 disease processes; the acute and chronic effects. The acute effect of systemic arterial hypertension are a result of vasospasm to autoregulate perfusion. The chronic effects of hypertension are caused by arteriosclerosis and predispose patients to visual loss from complications of vascular occlusions or macroaneurysms.