10 hidden health problems your eyes can reveal

Shakespeare once said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, expressing the belief that a person’s emotions can be read through their eyes.

But that’s not all that the eyes can reveal…

It turns out that our eyes can provide a glimpse into what else can be going on in the body, including hints about many health ailments — and not just those affecting the eyes.

In some cases, they can even lead to life-saving early detection.

Here are 10 of them…

Brain tumor

A simple visual field measurement can reveal abnormalities, but often patients are either unaware of them or consider them so benign they don’t bother to report them. It’s important to make note of any visual field abnormalities because they can indicate brain tumors, such as pituitary adenoma.

Diabetes

Screening for diabetes is an area that’s ripe for improvement, especially since it often is not diagnosed until six to 13 years after its onset. An eye exam might speed that up — as well as prevent vision loss…

Lesions, characteristic of diabetes, can appear at the back of the eye before other symptoms are known. Slashing this delay is crucial because, within five years of diagnosis, 25 percent of patients with type 1 diabetes and 40 percent of those with type 2 diabetes who are treated with insulin will develop eye lesions that can have a major impact on vision.

Early identification and rigorous monitoring of eye health significantly reduce the risk of blindness, which can happen when diabetes goes untreated.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can significantly increase the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. Yet high blood pressure, referred to as a “silent killer,” can go unnoticed until it’s a significant problem.

As strange as it might sound, the eye can be used to diagnose both of these conditions. This is because the eye is the only place in the body where blood vessels can be seen without having to make an incision or use invasive techniques.

For instance, high blood pressure can be identified by unusual bends, kinks or bleeding from blood vessels in the back of the eye and very specific signs on the retina. Hypercholesterolemia creates cholesterol deposits and atherosclerosis creates Hollenhorst plaques, both of which are visible inside the eye blood vessels. Cholesterol can also be seen in the cornea or the adnexa of the eye.

Lupus

This inflammatory disease in which the body attacks its own tissues and organs can be indicated by dry eye, as well as by swelling in the white part of the eye, the middle layer of the eye or the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye.

Lyme disease

This infection is spread by ticks and leads to inflammation throughout the body. Many people with Lyme disease experience inflammation of the optic nerve as well as an increase in “floaters,” small specks that drift across your field of vision, at infection onset.

Multiple sclerosis

About half of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have optic neuritis, a condition in which the optic nerve becomes inflamed. Symptoms can include blurry vision, the sight of “washed out” colors and eye pain for a few days when you move your eyes.

MS can also be indicated by double vision or involuntary eye movements.

Cancer

Cancers that affect the eye, like retinoblastoma, can also cause metastases to the lungs and liver. The disease often develops without symptoms until it’s too late, so early detection is crucial.

Another cancer clue visible in the eye is congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigmented epithelium (CHRPE). It appears as a shape that looks similar to a bear’s paw and may be associated with colon cancer, which is often not diagnosed until the later stages.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Red eyes with deep, severe pain can be a harbinger of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This symptom indicates scleritis, a painful inflammation of the white part of the eye that requires treatment. Many people with RA also suffer from dry eye.

Thyroid disease

Hyperthyroidism can cause protruding eyeballs and retracting eyelids. This is most commonly caused by Graves’ disease, a condition in which the thyroid produces too much or too little hormone. This condition can also coincide with dry eye, blurry vision or vision loss.

Get your eyes checked

If you have abnormal eye movements, asymmetric pupillary responses, sudden reading problems or the appearance of double vision, it’s time to visit your optometrist. They can help determine whether you need to be seen by an ophthalmologist for further diagnosis and treatment. And your ophthalmologist can refer you to another specialist if the condition goes beyond the eyes.

Sources:

Your Eyes Can Shed Light on Underlying Health Problems — Science Alert

MS eye and vision problems — MS Society

20 Surprising Health Problems an Eye Exam Can Catch — American Academy of Ophthalmology