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A top optometrist has revealed the six things your eyes can reveal about your overall health.
Sophie Koh is an Optometrist and National Professional Services Advisor at Optometry Australia and revealed how she can detect a number of chronic conditions like diabetes and even cancer by looking into someone’s eyes.
She said things like blood spots on the back of the eye, swollen optic nerves and even a gray ring around the iris could be a sign that something more sinister is going on.
Optometry Australia strongly recommends that Australians have a comprehensive eye exam every two years, not only to preserve visual acuity, but also to spot early signs of various diseases.
“Anatomically speaking, the eye has two incredibly unique properties; First, the retina is the only place in the body where your blood vessels can be seen clearly without surrounding tissue getting in the way,” Sophie said.
Optometrist Sophie Koh (pictured) has revealed how she can detect a number of chronic conditions like diabetes and even cancer by looking into someone’s eyes
“Second, 40% of the nerve fibers connected to the brain are linked to your retina, so early changes in your eye health and vision may be a sign of other broader health issues.”
More than four in 10 Australians are unaware that optometrists are capable of observing chronic diseases and conditions. According to Optometry Australia’s 2020 Vision Index Report find.
Sophie said eye abnormalities that can only be detected during an eye exam can be a sign of certain cancers, an increased risk of stroke, diabetes, multiple sclerosis , high cholesterol or thyroid disease.
Although symptoms are not necessarily conclusive evidence of cancer or a particular condition, an eye exam can help detect diseases in their early stages.
Optometry Australia strongly recommends Australians have a comprehensive eye exam every two years, not only to preserve visual acuity but also to spot early signs of various diseases (stock image)
1. Cancer
Amazingly, the eye may be the first place to show early signs of a range of cancers, including brain tumours, melanoma, leukemia and lymphoma.
“Optic nerve swelling, bloody retinas, and new or irregular moles in the front and back of the eye can raise alarm bells that something serious might be happening,” Sophie said.
“This is one of the reasons why it is important for children and young people to have an eye exam, even if they do not complain of vision problems. Your optometrist may be the first person to notice this during a routine eye exam.
2. Stroke
During an eye exam, optometrists can find microscopic blood clots in the back of the eye, which can suggest damage to blood vessels from high blood pressure and sometimes mean a person could be more likely to have a stroke.
“Blockages or clots in the retina can be the first sign that a person is at high risk of suffering a stroke. If the patient experiences a sudden loss of side vision, this can also be a warning sign of brain damage,” Sophie said.
Sophie said: ‘Optic nerve swelling, bloody retinas and new or irregular moles in the front and back of the eye can raise alarm bells that something serious might be going on’
3. Diabetes
Optometrists may also be able to spot early signs of diabetes.
“Diabetic retinopathy affects the capillaries of the retina and initially appears as blood spots at the back of the eye, which can be detected during routine eye exams,” Sophie explained.
More drastic changes in vision are not noticeable until the condition has progressed to advanced stages, so regular eye exams can detect the abnormality early.
4. Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis can cause a condition called optic neuritis in which the optic nerve swells and causes blurred vision.
For nearly 25% of people diagnosed with MS, optic neuritis was the first symptom they experienced.
“Swelling of your optic nerve may be the first sign of MS. The sheath that covers the optic nerve, called myelin, swells and therefore damages the optic nerve and therefore impairs the visual information in your brain,” Sophie said.
For 25% of people diagnosed with MS, optic neuritis, where the optic nerve swells and causes blurred vision, was the first symptom they experienced.
5. High cholesterol
“If a white, blue, or gray ring is visible around the iris, it could mean there’s a buildup of cholesterol in the blood,” Sophie said.
“It can show up even in your 30s and 40s. Your optometrist may recommend other tests to assess the cholesterol level in your blood.
She added that high cholesterol levels should be taken seriously as they could be a precursor to life-threatening conditions like strokes.
6. Thyroid disease
According to Australian Thyroid Foundationmore than one million Australians live with an undiagnosed thyroid disorder.
“Associated with an autoimmune disease called Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism can not just make your eyes red and itchy, in more severe cases it can cause swelling of the eye muscles which causes the eyeballs to bulge and cause double vision,” Sophie said.
Bulging eyes are also known as ocular protrusion and can also coincide with dry eye, blurred vision, or double vision.
Optometrist: The six warning signs your eyes tell you about your health