Photo courtesy of Graur Codrin/freedigitalphotos.net
It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Your yearly eye exam is a window into your entire body’s health as well.
What makes an eye exam such a useful tool?
When your eye care professional looks into your eyes, the vitreous fluid is clear which allows him to see your blood vessels clearly and easily. This is the only way to see blood vessels without cutting open the human body!
What can be detected besides eye conditions?
You know that your eye exam will check for cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. This important exam can also show many other conditions such as high blood pressure. If the blood vessels in your eyes are bent or kinked, this is a clue that your blood pressure should be checked, as these blood vessels should ideally take a straight path. The eye exam can also give a clue that you have high cholesterol if there is a gray ring around your cornea or a yellowish plaque in the blood vessels. Your eyes can even show signs of the flu or a similar virus. If there is a “papillary reaction”, or irritation, redness or bumps under the eyelid, you may be coming down with the flu or a cold.
Other conditions that can be seen are:
- Overactive Thyroid (Grave’s Disease)
- Autoimmune Disorders
- Diabetes
- Liver Disease
Since all of these disorders benefit from early treatment, your annual eye exam can make a significant impact in your overall health!