Regular eye exams are beneficial for eye health as well as overall health and well-being. An eye exam can help detect different health conditions in their earliest stages. They include high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, brain tumours, and cancer. Apart from these diseases, an optometrist can detect other conditions by examining the eye structures. Following are surprising health issues an eye exam can detect.
Diabetes
Nowadays, it’s fairly standard that patients be offered an OCT scan (Optical Coherence Tomography). This exam detects fluid in your retina and picks up on signs of damage that could indicate diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or macular degeneration. Before the test, dilating drops can be used to widen the pupil so light beams can be focused on the back of the eye. Not all standard eye exams will detect diabetes/precursor to diabetes, but an optician will be able to pick up on any suspicious activity and refer you on to an ophthalmologist or optometrist can detect it.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
MS is a degenerative condition that affects the nervous system. It is potentially disabling. Multiple sclerosis results in the immune system attacking nerve fibres. It causes a communication breakdown between the patient's brain and other body parts. During an eye exam, the doctor may detect an optic nerve inflammation, leading to a diagnosis of MS. People with MS experience blurred vision, double vision, and pain during eye movement.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a condition that results from ticks. The bloodborne infection causes complete body inflammation, including optic nerve inflammation. When the infection begins, patients experience eye floaters—spots that drift in the field of vision.
Lupus
Lupus is a severe autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in different body systems. The condition can be linked to dry eye syndrome. Lupus can cause swelling in several areas of the eye. This includes the retina (light-sensitive back of the eye), uvea (middle of the eye), and sclera (white of the eye).
Rheumatoid Arthritis
An eye exam detects rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory condition affecting the joints. Experiencing pain or inflammation of the eye sclera or red and severely painful eyes could be due to rheumatoid arthritis. The eye condition, known as scleritis, requires immediate medical treatment. Many RA patients also experience dry eye syndrome.
Thyroid Disorder Retracting lids and protruding eyeballs indicate a patient has hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid gland. The condition often manifests alongside dry eye, as the lids fail to cover the eye surface. An optometrist can measure the eyeball protrusion to determine if the patient has the disorder.
Sjogren's Syndrome
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune condition characterized by an attack by the body's white cells. The cells attack the glands that produce tears that cleanse and lubricate the eyes. Lack of proper lubrication causes dry eye. Symptoms of the autoimmune disorder include stinging, burning, blurry vision, and other symptoms of dry eye.
Parkinson's Disease
No conclusive tests can detect Parkinson's disease in the early stages. However, people with the condition often suffer from ocular tremors. Eye-tracking technology can help measure eye movements and diagnose Parkinson's disease. The technology can identify ocular tremors, allowing early diagnosis of the condition, which is vital for early intervention.
Other health issues detected during an eye exam include abnormal pupillary reactions, aneurysms, and vascular disease. The exams can also detect vitamin A deficiency and sexually transmitted infections. An optometrist can help detect health issues during comprehensive eye examinations.