The history of research of the ophthalmic aspects of hypertension

The awareness of the widespread influence of hypertension on various organ systems is ever increasing. Changes associated with this disease can be observed in the heart, brain, kidneys, but also the organ of vision. These usual microvascular changes are defined as hypertensive retinopathy. During a funduscopic examination, abnormalities such as narrowing of arterioles, symptoms of arteriole and vein intersection, cotton wool spots, intra-retinal exudates, retinal haemorrhages, and in severe cases even swelling of the optic disc and macula. This review presents an overview of the changes at the fundus of the eye that may occur in patients with hypertension, as well as problems with the classification of hypertensive retinopathy over the years, and the development of diagnostic methods in ophthalmology and fundoscopic imaging.

Running title: The history of hypertensive retinopathy research