How Eye Health Reflects Overall Health

Your eyes are essential to your health and well-being. They allow you to experience and interpret the world around you. Also, they can reveal information about your health—an eye exam may shed light on specific medical conditions or diseases.

An optometrist or ophthalmologist can help uncover potential health issues. To ensure you can see clearly and maintain optimal health, take proper care of your eyes and undergo regular comprehensive eye exams.

What Are Your Eyes Telling You?

Unusual eye symptoms may indicate that something is wrong. They may suggest that medical attention is necessary. For example, when diabetes symptoms flare up, you may experience blurred vision. The blood vessels in your eyes can also reveal information about your general health.

Changing color from red to bronze or gray could suggest high blood pressure or diabetes. Both can harm the retina by causing excess fluid to accumulate in the eyes. Blocked blood vessels may mean an autoimmune disease. That can cause itchy, red eyes, pain, light sensitivity, and vision problems. Some of the things your eyes can say about your health include the following:

You Could Have an Infection

Abnormalities in your eye health could indicate an infection elsewhere in your body. For example, a sinus infection can cause inflammation in the eye. That can cause symptoms such as swelling, redness, and discharge. Similarly, an ear infection can affect the eyes, causing vision or appearance changes.

Awareness of any abnormalities or changes in your eye health is critical. They may indicate an infection or other underlying health issues. If you have unusual eye symptoms, you should seek medical attention to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment.

You Could Have Diabetes

Diabetes can harm the blood vessels and nerves in the eyes, altering vision or the appearance of the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma are some of the specific eye problems that people with diabetes may experience.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that causes damage to the blood vessels in the retina, resulting in vision loss. It is critical to have regular eye exams if you have diabetes to monitor your eye health.

You Could Have High Cholesterol

High cholesterol levels can cause plaque buildup in the arteries, including those in the eyes. The buildup can cause changes in the appearance of blood vessels and increase the risk of developing specific eye problems such as age-related macular degeneration and retinal arterial occlusion.

You Could Have Hypertension

Hypertension can harm the blood vessels in the eyes, causing changes in their appearance and increasing the risk of specific eye problems. Hypertension, for example, can increase the risk of developing retinal arterial occlusion, a condition in which the retinal blood vessels can lead to vision loss.

You Could Have Jaundice

Jaundice causes the whites of the eyes and skin to turn yellow due to an excess of bilirubin in the body. Bilirubin is a yellowish substance produced during the breakdown of red blood cells. Jaundice can result from various underlying conditions, including liver disease, gallbladder issues, and blood disorders.

Conclusion

Eye symptoms are often insufficient to diagnose an infection, disease, or other severe medical condition. However, they can provide clues about underlying issues that need attention. When you seek medical attention as soon as you notice unusual eye symptoms, you can receive treatment before any potential problems cause severe damage to other parts of your body or become life-threatening.

For more on eye health, visit Wiregrass Eyecare of Ozark at our Ozark, Alabama office. Call (334) 443-1260 to schedule an appointment today.