Eye Problems May Imply Poor Circulation

When people think about symptoms of poor circulation, the symptoms that most often come to mind are symptoms that affect the hands and feet, such as cramping, numbness, and swelling or symptoms that affect the whole body, such as orthostatic hypotension (feeling dizzy or faint when you stand up suddenly). You may not have known that there is a relationship between circulatory and eye care, but poor circulation of the blood can cause a variety of eye problems.

Simply Eye Problems can be Treated at Home

Some circulatory and eye care problems are visible, so health care providers may notice them even without performing diagnostic tests and without the patient mentioning them. For example, people with poor circulation may have dark circles under their eyes. These dark circles are actually small bruises, and because the skin around the eyes is so thin, it is easy to see even minor bruises. A bruise is the result of capillaries under the skin breaking. There are many capillaries around your eyes, and if you have poor circulation, red blood cells might not be able to flow through the capillaries fast enough, causing the capillaries to rupture because of the overcrowding of red blood cells, thus causing a bruise.

The more serious circulatory and eye care problem, though, is damage to the optic nerve, which gradually causes vision loss. Optic neuritis caused by poor circulation is most common in people with diabetes, people who smoke cigarettes, and older adults. Optic neuritis can be treated with corticosteroids to prevent further vision loss.

Try Nutritional Supplements for Better Eye Heath

To treat circulatory and eye care problems, you must treat the underlying cause of poor circulation. Poor circulation is often caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries. You can prevent your arteries from becoming clogged by eating a diet that is high in fiber and low in cholesterol. Getting enough exercise and avoiding long periods of sitting are also helpful. Alternative medicine practitioners recommend acupuncture, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, massage, and reflexology as treatments for poor circulation. They may also recommend herbal supplements such as garlic, ginger, gingko biloba, and rosemary. Diabetes is a leading cause of poor circulation and its associated vision problems. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is important to visit your primary care doctor and ophthalmologist regularly.

You must follow your doctor’s recommendations about how often to test your blood sugar. It is also important to take your diabetes medications and to avoid foods that are considered unsafe for diabetics.