You might not be aware of this, but your eyes do a lot more than just help you see the world around you. They can also provide telling insights into your overall health.
While many of us think of eye tests as a way to update our prescription glasses, they are actually a window into the body that can even reveal early signs of potentially serious health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other neurological disorders.
As eye exams can detect underlying problems before symptoms become apparent, scheduling regular eye tests with an optometrist should be seen as just as key a part of one’s preventive healthcare as going to the doctor for a routine check-up.
It is fascinating to think that the eyes, with their intricate network of blood vessels, nerves, and tissue, can serve as an early warning system for conditions that could impact your well-being in ways you may not have imagined.
This post will explore how they can reveal a lot more to experienced optometrists than you might think.
Why are Regular Eye Check-Ups Important?
Experts recommend you should book an eye test with a company like 1001 Optometry at least once every two years. Although, thanks to recent technological advancements in testing, some seniors might be advised to schedule annual appointments.
Doing this will go a long way towards correcting one’s vision and enabling them to do things like drive at night or see things better over long or short distances.
Regular eye tests can also ensure conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are picked up as early as possible before they deteriorate to permanent disability or sight loss.
One of the main reasons why it’s essential to have regular eye tests is because, these conditions have no noticeable symptoms in their early stages. This means you could be suffering from them now and not know that you are.
But there’s more….
Systemic Health Conditions Your Eyes Might Reveal
Aside from correcting your vision and spotting more ‘traditional’ eye issues, it is possible regular eye tests could detect the following conditions if your health isn’t as robust as it should be.
- Diabetes
One of the most well-documented connections between eye health and general health is the link between diabetes and eye disease.
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that is caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the blood vessels in the retina, and can often be detected during a routine eye appointment by examining the small blood vessels in the eye. When doing this, an optometrist can detect bleeding or swelling that may indicate diabetes and refer patients for further testing.
Unfortunately, in Australia, diabetes is on the rise, with over 1.3 million people diagnosed. For those who are afflicted with the condition, early detection is critical because, if left untreated, it can lead to serious complications, including blindness.
- Hypertension and Heart Disease
During an examination, an optometrist may observe signs such as narrowing or leaking blood vessels, which could indicate hypertension or high blood pressure.
Like with diabetes, because symptoms of high blood pressure are often silent, many Australians remain unaware they have it. However, if left unchecked, high blood pressure can lead to serious life-threatening issues like stroke and heart attack.
The good news is that an optometrist can spot subtle signs in the retina that may prompt a life-saving visit to a GP. This is why a regular eye test could be the difference between catching hypertension early and a person suffering long-term cardiovascular damage.
- Neurological Disorders
Your eyes are closely linked to your nervous system, and changes in eye movement or the optic nerve can provide optometrists with early indications of neurological conditions.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) often presents with optic neuritis (the inflammation of the optic nerve) that can cause blurred vision or pain when moving the eyes, while Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s may be observed through changes in things like eye tracking, pupil reactions, or retinal thinning.
Be mindful that if an optometrist notices these signs during your routine eye test, they may refer you to a hospital for urgent medical evaluation.
Lifestyle Factors
In between your eye exams, adopting a healthier lifestyle can help you maintain good eye health, as well as mental and physical health overall.
Some good ways of doing this are to eat a balanced diet consisting of meals from the five different food groups – dairy, fruit, vegetables, grains, and proteins – and get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night.
You should also reduce the amount of time you spend looking at screens and devices and make the decision to quit smoking and drink less alcohol.
Some experts even recommend doing eye exercises as a way to improve their overall performance.
