IOP and stress

[patricia61]

Hello Doctor
Can stress/anxiety raise your IOP like it can raise your blood pressure?
Is feeling your eyes pulsing in time with your heartbeat (I can actually SEE this) related to IOP? What causes this?
(I normally have BP of 75/110)
Thank You

[charliespark]

A related discussion, Anxiety and IOP was started.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Cataract surgery on a younger person is not different that the same surgery on an older person. Usually its easier because the cataract tends to be softer.  As far as air bags go the national statistics clearly show that while you can get a variety of injuries from airbags, they are almost always less than those that would be incurred without airbags.

JCH MD Ophthalmologist

[KENDRAL]

I have a similar problem where my eye (left) pulses not on the lid but at the top at the very back - behind the eye.  I have low blood pressure but do have 22 iop's usually.  I also had a car accident at 36 that caused a early cataract as per my opthamologist in this eye and changes to the vision of this eye have started from -4.00 to -5.25 so far. (From the airbag)  I sit close to.  My opthamologist just told me to come back in 6 months.

I only get feelings of pressure in this eye periodically throughout the day, like a pulsing, sometimes quite intense, than disappears, should I continue getting this looked into.  I am now 38.  What are the risks I am looking at for early cataract sx and if I am ever hit in this eye again by air bag?  I have no astigmatism just near sightedness.  

[patricia61]

Thank you very much. You are very kind.

[John C Hagan]

Your symptoms don't send up "red flags" about something dangerous but I can't give further reassurances without an actual examinations.  You know stress, anxiety and depression cause more office visits and more "non-diagnoseable" symptoms than anything else.

If this problem worsens, new symptoms develop or they persist, you'll need to see a physician and have a comprehensive medical eye examination by an ophthalmologist (Eye MD).

Good luck to you.

JCH MD

[patricia61]

Thank you - your responses are always so thoughtful and thorough.

Is this pulsing that I can see/feel in my eye a serious concern? I wouldn't actually say it's in my visual field, it feels like it's either my iris pulsing slightly or else my eyelids (I can't see it in the mirror, though). I I guess I am really focusing on it, and maybe that's why I'm noticing it?

(I do have migraines with the scintilating scotoma etc, but not right now)

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Hello Patricia:  Stress and anxiety can raise blood pressure but not intraocular pressure (IOP). It's been well documented that just going to a physician's office can raise blood pressure 20 points or more but not IOP.  Also IOP rarely causes pain or 'pressure' feeling even if high (provided the pressure increase doesn't occur suddently as acute angle closure glaucoma or post eye surgery pressure does).  Stress and anxiety are often felt as a pressure like feeling around and behind the eyes.

A rapid heartbeat especially with a wide pulse pressure (big difference between systolic and diastolic pressure) can cause a 'pounding' that might be felt in different parts of the head including the eye. Again this is blood pressure in IOP causing the problem. Many migraine patients with 'auras' say they pulsate in time with heartbeat.

JCH MD Eye Physician & Surgeon