What Your Eyes are Telling You About Your Health

When you look into someone’s eyes you can see so many things. You can gain a glimpse into their emotional state and their eye health and eyes can even convey a message without the need for spoken words. Without any invasive cutting, doctors are able to see the bare nerves, veins and arteries of the eye. This gives them the ability to diagnose the condition of not only the eyes, but certain parts of the body as well.

Blood in the Eye

This can be caused by a blow to the eye where tiny blood vessels have burst and pool on the white of the eye. However, on occasions this can be a cause of severe high blood pressure or a disorder in the platelets, causing interference with clotting.

Red Itchy Eyes

Eye irritation has many causes; smoke, windy conditions, allergic reactions to pollen, animals or dust. You may be suffering from dry eye syndrome.

Retinal Defects

This can only be seen by a doctor, but can be an indication of high blood pressure or diabetes. High blood pressure causes blood vessels to twist in the retina. Retinal damage can cause blindness and can even be an indication of a high risk of a stroke.

Yellow Eyes

This could be jaundice which affects many newborn babies. In adults this can indicate diseases of the liver, bile ducts or gallbladder, including cirrhosis and hepatitis. The yellow coloring is caused by a build-up of the compound created by the breakdown of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells.

Bulging Eyes

The most common cause is over-activity of the thyroid gland, also commonly known as hyperthyroidism. This can also be a hereditary condition. This condition can develop slowly over time and causes a person not to blink as much, so it will seem like they are staring and causes dry eyes.

Double vision

If you experience sudden double vision, loss of vision or sudden impaired vision, this could be the warning sign of an impending stroke. If accompanied by numbness in the limbs, loss of balance or a severe headache, seek medical attention immediately. Blurred vision can also be a sign of the onset of diabetes. Diabetics are at risk of eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma. Diabetic retinopathy affects the circulatory system of the eye and can lead to blindness. It is important to have comprehensive periodic eye examinations. You may feel in good health with no vision problems and therefore feel no eye examination is necessary, but symptoms can be detected long before they become apparent. For example, many people have diabetes but are not aware of it. An eye examination can detect this. Have a look at the Dry Eye website www.dryeye.com.au for information on eye health and eye care. Eye examinations can alert doctors to autoimmune diseases and doctors are even able to monitor the progress of diabetes through eye examinations. The body’s system is connected via the immune, nervous and vascular system. The transparency of the eyes offers a glimpse into the very depths of our bodies.