5 Health Problems A Comprehensive Eye Examination Can Detect
We’ve all heard the overused phrase ‘your eyes are the window to your soul.’ But we don’t hear enough that our eyes are the window to our overall health. The importance of having annual eye examinations isn’t limited to your eye and vision problems. Your optometrist may detect several significant health issues that haven’t started showing symptoms yet. Many people comfortably avoid doing an eye test once in a while because their vision is healthy and fine. This is an unfortunate attitude because many eye diseases do not show symptoms in the early stage. This is not just limited to the case of eye diseases. Many health issues can be detected with an eye exam at an early stage. The earlier a disease is detected, the better the chances of recovery.
Let’s look at some common diseases that leave clues in our eyes.
Diabetes
Diabetes can affect the capillaries and blood vessels in the retina. Blood vessels in the retina that leak a yellow fluid or bleed indicate diabetic retinopathy. This can be detected even before a person is diagnosed with diabetes. Diagnosing diabetes or diabetic retinopathy at its early stage can even save your eyes from going blind. There are many treatments and lifestyle changes to manage the effect of diabetes on your eyes if found early.
High Blood Pressure
Bleeding or unusual bends in blood vessels in the back of the eye may indicate high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause many eye diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, etc. Slight swelling in the eye can also be an indicator of hypertension. A comprehensive dilated eye exam may help your optometrist or eye doctor notice these signs of high blood pressure.
High Cholesterol
High levels of cholesterol can leave clues in the eye majorly in two ways. In people under the age of 40, a bluish or yellow ring around the cornea can indicate elevated cholesterol. Deposits in the blood vessels in the retina are another sign of high cholesterol.
Heart Disease
Since the heart pumps blood to all parts of our body including our eyes, the blood vessels in our eyes can say a lot about our heart health. The carotid artery supplies most of the blood supply to the brain, and our eyes are part of the brain. Sometimes, little plaque deposits broken away from the deposit buildup on the carotid artery can be found in the eyes. These elements can cause a stroke if they reach the brain.
The blood vessels in the retina can also indicate decreased blood flow to the eyes due to heart disease.
Cancer
Clues to several types of cancers can be detected with a detailed eye examination. The eyelids are one of the most common places affected with skin cancer due to high exposure to sunlight. Brain tumors, melanoma, and leukemia are other types of cancers that can be detected with an eye examination. In some cases, tumors in the breasts and other areas in the body can spread to the ocular structure, giving us clues through the eyes.
There are many more health issues that can be found with a comprehensive dilated eye examination like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorder, Parkinson’s disease, vitamin A deficiency, sickle cell disease, and the list goes on. There are more important reasons to visit your eye doctor than to just make sure your eyes are fine. Don’t hesitate to make that appointment with your eye doctor at least once a year. It might even save your life someday.
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