The Connection Between Eye Health and Overall Wellness

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Your eyes could be the most underrated health detector you own.

Eye exams are typically viewed as a purely optical exercise.

You need to take an eye exam to know whether you should get glasses or contact lenses, that is all there is to it…

But here’s the thing…

The truth is that 90 million Americans over 40 are living with vision and eye problems. That’s more than 3 in 5 people.

And it can get worse.

These statistics are set to explode if we do not take proper care and do early detection and prevention. That’s why it is crucial for you to understand how your eye health is related to your overall wellness – it could literally save your life.

In this article, we will cover:

• How Your Eyes Reflect Your General Health
• Health Conditions Your Eyes Could Detect
• Why Regular Eye Tests Are More Important Than You Think
• Eye-Check.org

How Your Eyes Reflect Your General Health

Ok, let me tell you something most people don’t know.

Your eyes are the only place in the human body where the healthcare specialist could directly check your blood vessels without surgery.

Pretty wild, right?

It means that when Vision Specialists check your eyes, they’re not simply checking whether or not you require some help with your sight or not.

They are directly checking what’s going on inside of your body.

Did you realize?

The fact that all these blood vessels are connected to the same system which is nourishing your heart, your brain, and your kidneys as well? It means that as soon as something is not going according to plan, it will show first in your eyes.

This is why the wellness of your eyes and your general health are so closely connected.

Your eyes are like an early warning system for your entire body.

Health Conditions Your Eyes Could Detect

Are you excited to know what your healthcare specialist may spot during your next eye exam? Let’s jump right in, then.

Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most straightforward diseases to detect through your eye test.

When the sugar levels in your blood become too high and remain that way for too long, the blood vessels in the retina will be harmed by it.

This condition is called diabetic retinopathy and is a leading cause of blindness in adults of working age. But here is the good news… 90% of diabetes-related blindness is entirely preventable with early detection.

When looking for the signs of diabetes, your eye doctor may focus on such factors as:

• Leaking blood vessels
• Swelling in your retina
• Abnormal new blood vessel growth
• Blurry or fluctuating vision

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, as you can probably guess, damages blood vessels everywhere in the body, including your eyes.

During an eye exam, a doctor may notice such signs as arteries narrowed, tiny hemorrhages, and unusual swelling in your retina. All those are classic indications that your blood pressure is not where it should be.

The best part? If you notice the symptoms of high blood pressure early via your eye exam, you could avoid further serious complications.

For example, the issues with heart disease and stroke.

High Cholesterol

Arcus senilis? Have you heard of this?

It is a gray or white ring that appears around the edge of your cornea. While this is pretty common for older adults, if it starts showing in people under the age of 40, it is a likely sign of high cholesterol.

Your eye doctor may also notice cholesterol deposits in your retina by examining the patterns of your veins and arteries. Cholesterol deposits can indicate existing or future blockages which will restrain the blood flow.

Multiple Sclerosis and Brain Conditions

Your optic nerve links your eye directly to your brain.

Meaning that it is an extension of your central nervous system and the only part of your brain which doctors could see without surgery.

The fact that the optic nerve could become swollen or inflamed might be an early indication of:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Brain tumors
• Risk of stroke
• And other serious neurological conditions

Why Regular Eye Tests Are More Important Than You Think

Ok, here is something that might come as a surprise for you.

An estimated 93 million adults in the United States of America are at high risk for serious vision loss. However, only half of them visited an eye doctor in the past 12 months.

That is an absolute nightmare.

It is all about early detection when it comes to the health of your eyes and overall wellness.

The majority of the eye conditions develop slowly and do not have any obvious symptoms. By the time you start noticing that something is not right with your vision, it could be too late, and some of the damage will already be done.

This is what your regular eye tests will help you to do:

• Detect diseases and conditions early before they could cause any symptoms
• Prevent or delay vision loss
• Spot serious health conditions early
• Save money in the long term on healthcare costs

The economic cost of the issue with vision is expected to reach $373 billion by 2050. And prevention is always cheaper than treatment.

Taking Control of Your Vision and Health

So what is it you can do to take better care of your vision and overall health?

Schedule Regular Eye Tests

Ok, how often should you take your eyes checked? Well, it really depends on your age and some additional risk factors. However, for most people, a thorough eye examination every two years will be more than enough.

For those of you who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of eye disease, you should book an eye check at least once a year.

Manage Chronic Conditions

In case you have diabetes or high blood pressure, it is crucial for you to keep these conditions under control to protect your vision.

The fact that people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop glaucoma when compared to the individuals who do not have the disease.

To keep your vision in tip-top shape, make sure that you work with your healthcare team to:

• Keep blood sugar levels stable
• Monitor and control your blood pressure
• Keep your cholesterol in check
• Take your prescribed medications regularly

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

It is no secret that your daily habits play a big part in both your eye health and your overall wellness.

A few simple lifestyle changes could protect your vision for years to come:

• Eat a diet full of leafy greens and omega-3 fatty acids
• Exercise regularly to improve blood flow
• Quit smoking (it doubles your risk of developing cataracts)
• Protect your eyes from UV damage with sunglasses
• Take regular breaks from looking at the screens

Spot the Warning Signs

While the majority of eye conditions will develop without any symptoms, there are still a few warning signs that should warrant a call to your eye doctor immediately.

Do not hesitate to contact an eye doctor if you experience:

• Sudden changes or loss of vision
• Flashes of light or spots floating in your vision
• Pain or redness in the eye
• Double vision
• Seeing halos around lights

You should not wait until your next scheduled appointment if something feels off.

Conclusion

The correlation between the wellness of your eyes and your overall health is strong and well established.

Your eyes do more than simply helping you to see – they are giving you a window to your general health that will help you detect serious issues before they could potentially become life-threatening.

Vision problems are only expected to grow in the next couple of decades and for this reason taking proper care of your eyes has never been more important.

Regular eye tests are not about vision correction and glasses anymore. It is about protecting your health and catching small problems early before they are easier to treat.

The best part?

Most of the vision loss is preventable with early detection and care.

You can start by taking better control of your health right away by booking the next eye appointment that you have been putting off for so long.

Your eyes will thank you and your entire body as well!