Not only could a yearly dilated eye test save your vision. Eye issues are frequently the initial sign of sickness elsewhere in the body. Thankfully, eye specialists might be the first to identify a number of potentially fatal illnesses.
At the John A. Moran Eye Center, ophthalmologist Katherine Hu, MD, states, “We always look for signs of eye disease.” However, mild, early damage to the small blood arteries in your eyes can also provide crucial hints about conditions across your entire body, especially in the heart and brain. Many diseases don’t show symptoms at first, so you can be at danger without realizing it.
This is one of the main reasons that everyone over 40 should get a thorough eye exam (dilated eyes included) by the age of 40, and by the age of 65, every year or two.
Dilated eye exams are easy and painless to do. You will be given drops by your eye doctor to enlarge or dilate your pupil. This enables the doctor to examine the retina, macula, and optic nerve, which are located at the back of your eye.
A dilated eye exam can reveal many problems outside eye disease, however the following six are the most frequent ones:
1. STROKE OF THE BRAIN
An ophthalmologist is able to identify blood clots or plaque buildup in the eye’s arteries. These suggest that if the deposits get to the brain, there may be a higher chance of stroke. Peripheral vision loss could potentially be an indicator of brain damage from a prior stroke.
2. HEART Illness
If the blood flow to the retina is restricted or stopped, it can be detected using a specialized imaging technique used to evaluate the retina, the light-sensitive tissue located in the back of the eye. This can point to a heart disease’s initial symptom.
3. DIABETES
Although diabetes is one of the main causes of vision loss, there are early warning indicators of diabetic retinopathy that can be seen in eye tissue, such as little blood vessels in the retina leaking yellow fluid. Early detection can prevent more significant consequences and help preserve vision.
4. EXTREME HEART PRESSURE
Heart, brain, and renal problems can result from high blood pressure if treatment is not received. This dangerous illness may be indicated by abnormally formed blood vessels or bleeding in the back of the eye.
5. Elevated Cholesterol
High cholesterol can cause major health problems, such as a potentially fatal stroke. A yellow or blue ring around the cornea, the transparent window in the front of the eye, may indicate elevated cholesterol, according to your ophthalmologist. Additionally, deposits may form in the retina’s blood vessels.
6. CANCER
Though tumors from other areas of the body can also be found in the eye, your ophthalmologist may be the first to notice skin cancer connected to the eyes on the eyelid or the surface of the eye. These consist of breast cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma. The link between breast cancer and lymph tissue may seem strange, but the eyes are the most prevalent site of cancer metastasis, where tumors without symptoms can develop.
According to Hu, “your eyes are a window into your overall health.” In actuality, these are the only areas of the body where a doctor may see live blood arteries and nerves without the need for surgery or X-rays. The results can provide useful hints for systemic disease, so make sure to frequently schedule thorough eye exams.