What Your Eyes Reveal About Your Health

A comprehensive eye exam by an ophthalmologist can reveal a wide range of serious health conditions that affect your entire body—not just your eyes. Eye exams and vision screenings are two different things.

• Vision screenings are eye exams that identify potential eye and vision problems. Vision screenings are typically administered by your primary care provider as part of a routine checkup.
• Comprehensive eye exams provide a clear view of the blood vessels, connecting tissues and nerves behind your eyes without requiring invasive tests or advanced imaging such as CT scans or X-rays.

An ophthalmologist is a physician with specialized training and education in vision and eye care. They are often the first health care providers to identify the signs of several diseases that could severely damage your health if left untreated.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there are five health problems a comprehensive eye exam can detect.

Brain Tumor

A brain tumor puts pressure on your brain that is transmitted to your eyes. This causes swelling near the back of your eye that affects the optic nerve. Other warning signs include changes in pupil size, double vision and reduced side vision.

Diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy damages the blood vessels in your eyes. When this happens, tiny blood vessels in your retina develop, swell and may leak yellow fluid or blood. You may experience floaters, pain and blurred vision. Early detection helps avoid vision loss and may reveal diabetes in its earliest stages before it permanently harms your health.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure affects the blood flow within your eyes. It may cause kinks, bends or bleeding in your eyes’ blood vessels that are apparent during a comprehensive eye exam. Swelling and bulging eyes may also be early signs of hypertension.

Heart Disease

An eye exam can help detect an increased risk of heart disease and stroke before other signs become apparent. Microscopic marks on your retina indicate excessive plaque in your carotid artery that could lead to a stroke, making them a useful predictive tool.

Thyroid Disease

Swollen, bulging eyeballs are a common sign of an overactive thyroid gland, called hyperthyroidism. The disorder may cause retracted eyelids where your upper and lower eyelids are pulled back past their normal position. Blurry vision, vision loss and dry eyes are also reported frequently.

Schedule an Eye Exam

Even if you aren’t experiencing any issues with your eyes or vision, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends you have a comprehensive eye exam by the age of 40. This provides a record of your eye health to serve as a baseline if problems develop in the future.

If you have increased risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of eye disease, talk to your primary care physician to determine whether you should see an ophthalmologist regardless of your age.

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