5 Common Health Problems Eye Exams Can Detect

Annual comprehensive eye exams are essential for maintaining healthy eyes and vision. But aside from that, eye exams can reveal other issues you may have with your body. A closer look inside your eyes can uncover eye diseases and systemic ailments before other symptoms become noticeable.

As you can tell, the benefits of seeing your eye doctor every year go well beyond boosting your eye health. It also gives your eye doctor a helpful glimpse into your body's general state of health. An eye exam can detect several health problems, but the five common ones include:

Diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy is a common eye condition that often occurs in people with diabetes. It is worth noting that sometimes, the disease can manifest in the eyes before a person receives a diabetes diagnosis. Diabetic retinopathy can be the very first sign that you have diabetes.

This disease causes the retinal vessels to leak blood or yellow fluid into the eye. An in-depth look into your retina can help catch diabetic retinopathy early. That way, you can save your vision and stop other diabetes complications.

High Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a health condition that leads to fat deposits accumulating in blood vessels and limiting blood flow. When examining your eyes, a blue or yellow ring around your cornea may signal high cholesterol, especially if you are below 40 years old. Fat deposits in the retinal blood vessels also point to high cholesterol levels.

High Blood Pressure

Most cases of bleeding in the eyes are minor, sometimes caused by sneezing or coughing extremely hard. But the bleeding can also be a sign of high blood pressure. A detailed eye checkup can reveal strange curves, bends, or bleeding in the retinal blood vessels, signaling high blood pressure. 

High blood pressure is quite common and affects one in three people in America. It is also a risk factor for glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. 

Heart Disease

Since your eye health is connected to your heart health, an eye exam can detect various heart diseases before you even know there is a problem. During the exam, your eye doctor can see microscopic deposits in the eye that have broken away from the artery that provides blood to the brain (carotid artery). These tiny plaque deposits can trigger a stroke if they enter the brain.

If your eye doctor catches any signs of plaque deposits, they will perform imaging or send you to your medical doctor. While these deposits are primarily found in people with heart disease, they can also show up in the eyes of healthy folks.

Certain Tumors and Cancers

A comprehensive eye exam can catch signs of blood, skin, or tissue cancers. The eyelid and outer parts of the eye are the most typical areas to get skin cancer from exposure to direct sunlight. Lymphoma and leukemia can also show signs in the inner parts of the eye. Additionally, tumors in the brain and breast can spread to the eye's structures.

To conclude, it is crucial to highlight that these warning signs do not confirm that you have a health problem. Every time an eye exam uncovers possible health issues, your eye doctor will suggest a further examination by your medical doctor or specialist.

For more health issues eye exams can detect or to book a visit, call Custom Eyes Optical at (631) 230-6230 to reach our office in Selden, New York.