It's often stated that our eyes are the window to the soul, but were you aware that they also provide crucial insights about your health? Whether it’s a physical symptom that can be seen on the surface or a sudden impairment that impacts our vision - eyes are an important indicator of our well-being. Looking to learn more about the intricacies that come with eye examinations? Fear not, About Town is here to guide our pupils through some key things to be aware of.
Stress
Stress is something that we all go through to varying degrees over the course of our lives. Although it is common, it needs to be addressed or it can lead to longer-term health issues. Our eyes are the proverbial canary in the coal mine for stress symptoms, often twitching when our body is beginning to feel physical effects. This stage of stress shouldn’t cause panic, but is a sign to search for methods of relaxing the body and getting some rest (twitching eyes often indicate a lack of sleep - which leads to stress - as well).
High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is an important thing to get ahead of, and there is a way to do so by being attentive to our eyes. White rings can form around the iris as part of the aging process, but are also an indicator of high cholesterol. If you start to see one form there is no need to panic, but schedule an appointment with a specialist to further determine the root cause.
Diabetes
A majority of diabetes patients have reported blurred vision as one of the symptoms they experienced, which is important for those not yet diagnosed to be aware of beforehand. Eye doctors can often discover diabetes through retinal irregularities as well. Blurred vision can also be an indicator of other medical concerns such as cataracts.
Retinal Damage
Many of us would say that we’ve experienced little “floaters” or “static” in our vision before, which is not uncommon to see on occasion. An increase or prevalent amount of this sensation can be an indication of retinal detachment or a tear in the retina. Seeing an eye specialist is the best way to get a gauge on the cause of this sudden rise in floaters.
As you can see, our eyes are magnificent feats in many ways - including how they help us gain answers about our health.
Cover image from Unsplash
