What can your eyes tell you about your health?

It’s often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but they can also say a lot about your health, good and bad.

Here are changes in your eyes and when you need to seek medical attention. 

• If you have blurred vision and find it hard to see at night, this may be a sign of diabetes. Diabetes causes too much sugar in your blood and can lead to diabetic retinopathy if uncontrolled. If you have diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes and are having trouble with your vision, be sure to see your doctor.
• If you have a sudden loss of vision or blurry vision, you could have a problem with the blood flow to your eye or even your brain. It’s important to seek immediate medical attention to prevent further damage or even something more serious, like a stroke.
• If your eyes bulge, you may have a condition known as Graves’ disease. This medical condition can also cause double vision and loss of vision as it causes your thyroid gland to release too many hormones. Your doctor can try medication or surgery to control how much hormone your thyroid makes, but there is no cure for this disease.
• If the whites of your eyes start to yellow, it could signal damage to your liver. Liver damage may be caused by bad diet, cancer, infection or alcohol consumption.
• Small yellow spots on your eyes are caused by sun damage and can be removed with a minor procedure.
• If you have ever experienced eye twitches, you know they are annoying but usually go away on their own. Alcohol use, fatigue, caffeine, lack of sleep, smoking or stress can cause these common annoyances. But if you find you experience them with other symptoms like difficulty walking or talking or going to the bathroom, see your doctor as this could be linked to a problem with your nervous system.

These are just some of the common eye conditions that can raise flags for concern. If you are interested in learning whether your eye condition is something to concerned about, call (508) 836-8733 for an appointment.