New Delhi, June 5 -- High blood pressure affects many parts of our body including our eyes. It is important to understand that high BP can have several negative effects on the eyes and can lead to serious vision complications.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Anoop Mishra, Consultant Ophthalmology at Apollomedics Hospital in Lucknow, explained, "Acute rise in blood pressure causes reversible narrowing of blood vessels of the retina. It causes flame shaped haemorrhages, cotton wool spots which are small white superficial focii of retinal ischemia. In severe hypertension , yellow hard exudates can develop a star shape over the central portion of retina called macula."

He cautioned, "Raised blood pressure can present with optic disc s...