Sure, your eye doctor looks primarily for the signs of vision problems, but did you know there are many conditions that can be detected through your eyes? It’s true, so if you aren’t going for your regular eye exam you could be missing out on some valuable insight into your health.
Many people would only schedule an appointment with an eye doctor if they notice changes in their vision, but oftentimes eye problems can go symptomless for quite a while. This means, if left untreated, the disease will continue damaging your eyes, ultimately leading to blindness. However, a specialist can spot those changes early on, before major damage has been caused, which means treatment can start early on, preventing permanent vision loss.
But, as mentioned, aside from eye problems, your eye doctor can spot symptoms of other health issues. Conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, autoimmune diseases, some types of cancer, and thyroid disease can be detected through the eyes.
A visit to your eye doctor may be the first step towards a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of your underlying health condition.
As you can see, the benefits of a regular eye exam go beyond vision health. If you haven’t gone for an eye exam in a while, start this year by making that appointment to see what is going on with your vision – and your overall health, too.