LIFESTYLE

7 surprising things your eyes can reveal about your health

15 November, 2022 . 0

Want better insight into your health? Your eyes could hold the answer to what is happening inside your body.

Our eyes show us the world around us – but did you know they can also provide a glimpse into what might be going on with our overall health?

Changes to our eyes can be a sign of anything from diabetes to heart disease, says Dr Rushima Karim from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

“Certain health issues can actually be seen in our eyes before they are obvious anywhere else in the body – our eyes are definitely the windows to our inner health,” Dr Karim says.

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7 common health problems your eyes can reveal

Cataracts

Blurred vision can be a sign of cataracts, which develop when the lens in our eye becomes cloudy, says Cabrini Health ophthalmologist Associate Professor Simon Skalicky.

“Cataracts occur due to age and cumulative exposure to sunlight, and can be exacerbated by smoking, excessive alcoholism, eye trauma, type 2 diabetes or corticosteroids,” Assoc Prof Skalicky says.

Diabetes

If things are looking fuzzy, it could also be a sign of diabetes, which is the most common cause of vision loss in adults.

“Type 2 diabetes can cause changes and damage to the blood vessels in many organs, but these changes can only be seen in the eye,” Assoc Prof Skalicky says.

“In diabetes, we can see abnormalities of the walls of the tiny vessels, which might bleed or leak.”

High blood pressure

Kinks or bleeding from blood vessels in the back of the eye can signal high blood pressure, which affects one in five Australian adults.

“High blood pressure can affect the tiny veins in the eye before it affects other parts of the body,” Dr Karim says.

Recent research has shown that taking images over time of this network of veins and arteries in the retina can also accurately predict cardiovascular disease, and even death.

High cholesterol

A white, grey, yellow or blue arc around the edges of your cornea is called corneal arcus.

It’s made of fatty deposits and it’s a normal part of ageing.

But if you see the hazy ring and you’re under 50, it could be a sign of high cholesterol.

Jaundice

When red blood cells break down, a yellow compound called bilirubin forms, which is processed in the liver.

However, if liver function is compromised, this compound can build up in your body, tingeing the skin and eyes.

This is called jaundice, and while quite rare in adults, it can be a sign of hepatitis, liver disease, gallstones or cancer.

Stroke

Blood vessels in the retina sometimes contain blockages or clots, which can point to an increased risk of stroke.

“Our eyes are closely related to our brains – the nerves of our eyes actually develop from brain tissue,” Dr Karim says.

“Lack of blood supply to our eye nerve can sometimes be an early warning sign of a stroke.”

Dr Karim says symptoms include blurry vision, blind spots, or loss of vision in one or both of our eyes, and you should see a health professional immediately.

Thyroid problems

Protruding eyes can be a sign of an overactive thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism, which affects around two in every 100 Australian women.

The most common causes are an immune system abnormality called Graves’ disease, or nodules on the thyroid, and other symptoms include blurry vision, diarrhoea, and weight loss.