Disease Affecting the Eyes
They say your eyes are the window to your soul. For an ophthalmologist they can be the window to your health. Many medical conditions can manifest themselves through your eyes. For example, the blood vessels inside your eyes can be affected by high blood pressure, diabetes, and various autoimmune disorders such as lupus. Other autoimmune conditions can cause dry eyes or uveitis (inflammation inside the eyes). Increased pressure around the brain may cause swelling of your optic nerves. Even cataract formation can be a sign of diabetes in some patients.
If you have any of the following conditions, make sure that you have your eyes checked regularly, even if you do not notice changes in your vision:
Diabetes
Everyone who has diabetes should have a dilated eye exam at least once a year. This is not just a "glasses check". Because diabetes can damage retinal blood vessels, you need your eyes dilated so that your eye doctor can look for early signs of diabetic retinopathy. Without proper treatment, diabetic retinopathy can be a blinding disease. Initially there may be no changes in vision. However, even at this early stage, your eye doctor may detect retinal leakage or bleeding. If your eyes are affected, there are very effective treatments that can help you maintain or even restore the health of your eyes. Of course, good blood sugar control and following the recommendations of your primary care doctor is paramount.
Hypertension
With poor control of your blood pressure , the more likely you are to develop changes in the small blood vessels in your retina that we call hypertensive retinopathy. These changes happen in all your body but in the retina we can see them during a dilated fundus evaluation. They show like narrowing of your arteries, vascular tortuosity, arteriovenous crossing changes, areas of leakage, hemorrhage or in very severe cases, swelling of your optic nerves. The most severe form of hypertensive retinopathy has been correlated with a high mortality rate at 3 years ( only 6% survival in one study).
Autoimmune diseases
Sarcoidosis, lupus are immune problems that can affect your eyes in many ways.Ankylosing Spondilitis, Chron's disease, psoriasis, can be associated with a type of intraocular inflammation: anterior uveitis. If your eye is red, do not assume that it is pink eye, it can be something more serious. Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune problem causing ocular dryness. There are treatments available other than over the counter lubricating drops that we can start to provide relief and protect your ocular surface.
There are other conditions and medications not mentioned that can affect your eyes. Always check with your ophthalmologist if you experience redness, decrease in vision or ocular pain.
If you have any of the following conditions, make sure that you have your eyes checked regularly, even if you do not notice changes in your vision:
Diabetes
Everyone who has diabetes should have a dilated eye exam at least once a year. This is not just a "glasses check". Because diabetes can damage retinal blood vessels, you need your eyes dilated so that your eye doctor can look for early signs of diabetic retinopathy. Without proper treatment, diabetic retinopathy can be a blinding disease. Initially there may be no changes in vision. However, even at this early stage, your eye doctor may detect retinal leakage or bleeding. If your eyes are affected, there are very effective treatments that can help you maintain or even restore the health of your eyes. Of course, good blood sugar control and following the recommendations of your primary care doctor is paramount.
Hypertension
With poor control of your blood pressure , the more likely you are to develop changes in the small blood vessels in your retina that we call hypertensive retinopathy. These changes happen in all your body but in the retina we can see them during a dilated fundus evaluation. They show like narrowing of your arteries, vascular tortuosity, arteriovenous crossing changes, areas of leakage, hemorrhage or in very severe cases, swelling of your optic nerves. The most severe form of hypertensive retinopathy has been correlated with a high mortality rate at 3 years ( only 6% survival in one study).
Autoimmune diseases
Sarcoidosis, lupus are immune problems that can affect your eyes in many ways.Ankylosing Spondilitis, Chron's disease, psoriasis, can be associated with a type of intraocular inflammation: anterior uveitis. If your eye is red, do not assume that it is pink eye, it can be something more serious. Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune problem causing ocular dryness. There are treatments available other than over the counter lubricating drops that we can start to provide relief and protect your ocular surface.
There are other conditions and medications not mentioned that can affect your eyes. Always check with your ophthalmologist if you experience redness, decrease in vision or ocular pain.