Your Eyes Are Doorway to Your Health

Have you ever wondered why doctors check your eyes too when you are unwell? Eyes can say a lot about your health status. Changes can indicate chances of developing diabetes and cholesterol.

Let’s have a look at the common eye conditions which could help you determine if something’s wrong with your health:

• Bulging Eyes

Graves’ disease causes your thyroid gland to release several hormones, which can lead to bulgy eyes as well as double vision and loss of vision. It also may cause diarrhea, weight loss, and hand tremors. Medication or surgery can help control the amount of hormones your thyroid makes, but they won’t cure the underlying disease — and may not help your eyes so visiting an eye specialist would be the best option.

• Drooping Eyelids

This can be a sign of myasthenia gravis, which can attack your immune system and weaken your muscles. It affects your eye, face, and throat muscles more than others and can make it difficult to chew, swallow, or even speak. Your doctor may filter your blood to help ease your symptoms, but that doesn’t work for long. Medication can cure it too. But in some cases, surgery is needed to remove the thymus gland.

• Sudden Blurry Vision

A sudden and dramatic loss of vision may be a sign of a problem with the blood flow to your eye or your brain. Immediate medical attention can prevent serious damage and may even save your life. Even if your vision gets better quickly, it might still be a warning of a stroke or the beginning of a migraine headache.

• Floaters’ in your vision

Ever noticed those little specks that move around your field of vision from time to time? They are ‘floaters’ – and while they are relatively commonplace, they should never be ignored. Floaters are a part of getting older. But if you’re getting more of them than normal, then it could be indicative of an infection within the eye. An increase in ‘floaters’ in your daily life can indicate a number of things, she said – from a retinal tear to detachment. If you do see an increase, make sure you go and see an eye specialist.

• Grey ring around the cornea

Grey isn’t just for hair. Developing a grey ring around the edge of the cornea in which the ring called as arcus senilis, often goes hand in hand with high cholesterol and triglycerides – and is a sign of an increased risk for heart attack and stroke. One should go for a blood test to check for elevated blood lipids – especially people under age 60.

• Cloudy eye

This is a sign of cataract – a clouding of the lens inside the eye. This condition can be corrected with surgery and is most common in older people. Cataracts might arise in younger people as well and can have a variety of causes, including tumors and diabetes, as well as side effects from certain medications.

• Watery eyes

Struggling with watery eyes or eyes which frequently tear up?  It might be a sign that you’re spending too much time staring at screens- and it’s time to take a break from the same. In this digital age, many of us are looking at computer screens or other gadget screens for hours on end and not blinking nearly enough. If you stare at a screen all the time, your blink rate goes down and the tears get absorbed, making your eyes watery. If you’re someone whose dry eyes often water, it is recommended to try blinking as much as possible when at work.

Screen breaks are a good way to assist in making sure you’re blinking enough.

Eye habits we should all practice:

• Keep your general health good. The eyes are a reflection of your general health, so the more you move and eat well, the better your eye health will be.
• Stay well-hydrated. If you spend a lot of time working at a desk, it’s vital for you to drink as close to eight glasses of water per day as possible.
• Wear sunglasses or a hat. Whenever you go out in the sun, wear sunglasses or a hat to ensure you’re protecting your eyes at all points.
• Spot that change in vision. If you have a change in vision, go for eye check-up as soon as it happens.

Over to you

It is advised to visit an ophthalmologist or optometrist to know the status of your eye health and to keep it healthy. Regular blood check-ups can help you give a good idea of your health condition.