What Are Your Eyes Telling You?

Our eyes are more than just windows to the soul, they are windows to our health.

High cholesterol is one of the many conditions that an optometrist can detected with an eye health exam. When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Over time, these deposits make it difficult for sufficient blood to flow through your arteries. Your heart doesn’t get as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs, which increases the risk of a heart attack, decreasing blood flow to your brain which can result in a stroke.

Damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye can be the first physical sign of a health problem. At the end of your exam, your doctor will decide if further testing or follow up is necessary to protect your vision and overall health.