What your eye doctor knows about your health (2024)

An eye exam can tell you a lot about your general health. That’s why it’s important to get regular eye checkups even if you don’t wear glasses or contact lenses. Take, for example, Francis, whowas surprised when his doctor asked him if he had a history of high blood pressure. “Being an athletic 20-something, I thought he was nuts,” Francis says. “But I went for a general checkup anyway, and he was right: I needed medication.” Through some lifestyle changes, Francis was later able to go off the medicine. But without that comprehensive eye exam, he never would have known his blood pressure was an issue.

Learn more about why eye exams are important, and what to expect at your appointment. We’ll also explain the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist, and what to do if you don’t have vision insurance.

Why eye exams are important

The eye provides doctors a clear view of blood vessels, so an eye exam can tell you a lot about your general health. “Our eyes are amazing — they offer a unique view into the human body,” explains John Lahr, MD, medical director with EyeMed Vision Care, which provides administrative services for Aetna’s vision plans. “A thorough exam can spot serious problems such as diabetes, lupus, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration.” With regular eye exams, you may catch these problems earlier and avoid serious complications.

Learn how some habits help protect your eyes and your overall health.

How often should you go

If you don’t have any symptoms or vision problems, doctors recommend getting regular eye exams based on your age:

  • Ages 20 to 39: Every 5 years
  • Ages 40 to 54: Every 2 to 4 years
  • Ages 55 to 64: Every 1 to 3 years
  • Ages 65 and up: Every 1 to 2 years

You’ll want to have your eyes checked more often if you wear glasses or contact lenses, have a family history of eye disease, or have a chronic condition that puts you at risk for eye disease, like diabetes.

For kids under age 3, a pediatrician can look for common childhood problems like a lazy eye or crossed eyes. It’s a good idea to have your kids’ eyes checked before entering first grade. After that, if your family doesn’t have a history of vision problems, eye exams every one to two years should be enough.

Choosing the right eye doctor: ophthalmologist or optometrist

Many people are confused about what kind of eye doctor to see for an exam. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor licensed to practice medicine and surgery who can also prescribe glasses and contact lenses.

An optometrist is a licensed professional (not a medical doctor) who mostly performs eye exams and vision tests and prescribes glasses and contact lenses. An optometrist can detect some eye problems and may prescribe medications for certain eye diseases.

Either is a good option for a comprehensive eye exam. For more complicated issues, you should make an appointment with an ophthalmologist. Your family doctor can give you a recommendation.

Check out smart tips on how to find a new doctor.

What to expect at your eye exam

In a comprehensive exam, your eye doctor will check for vision problems and eye diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts. You’ll be asked about your overall health, family medical history and any medicines you take.

To test the sharpness of your vision at a distance and up close, you’ll read letters from an eye chart. Other tests will check your 3D vision, peripheral (side) vision and color perception. Shining a small light into your eye, the doctor will observe your pupils and eye muscles. A magnifier will allow her to better view the structures of your eyeball.

Sometimes the doctor will use medicated eye drops to dilate your pupils so she can examine the blood vessels and nerve in the back of your eye. If you need your vision to be clear immediately after your appointment, you can ask the doctor not to dilate your pupils.

Finally, the doctor will test for signs of glaucoma, either by directing a puff of air at your eye or using a device that briefly touches the surface of your eye. Neither method causes any pain or lasting discomfort.

What to do if you don't have vision insurance

General vision care is often offered as a separate insurance plan, such as the Aetna Vision Preferred plan, which has a network of over 100,000 eye doctors. If you don’t need glasses or contact lenses, you may not have a separate vision plan ― and that’s okay. A visit to the ophthalmologist may be covered by your main medical plan. Call your insurer or the eye doctor ahead of time to learn more.

When your doctor looks into your eyes, he sees your overall health. Whether or not you wear glasses or contacts, keeping up with regular eye exams can be an important part of preventive care.

For your eyes only

Aetna offers a variety of vision insurance plans and discounts.

Learn more

What your eye doctor knows about your health (2024)

FAQs

What your eye doctor knows about your health? ›

Eye doctors often use special imaging equipment to look for very early signs of common eye diseases. With this imaging technology, they can also spot the signs of an eye stroke, which can be caused by heart disease. They can also tell if you may have high cholesterol if they see a yellow or blue ring around the cornea.

What can an eye exam tell you about your health? ›

With the benefit of advanced diagnostic techniques, your optometrist can detect signs of diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes, and macular degeneration. Whether for you or your family, diagnosing these conditions early is one of the best ways to create positive outcomes through individualized treatment plans.

What do your eyes tell about your health? ›

A comprehensive eye exam is more than just about vision; it can also provide information about a person's overall health. A thorough examination of the lens, retina, and optic nerve can reveal several systemic disorders, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, sometimes before other symptoms appear.

What do unhealthy eyes look like? ›

You Should Not Have a Gray Ring Around Your Cornea

Having a gray ring around your eyes might indicate that your eyes are unhealthy. Eye doctors call it senilis. The condition often goes together with high triglycerides and cholesterol. These health conditions can increase your risk for stroke and heart disease.

What illnesses can be seen in the eyes? ›

Common Eye Conditions
  • Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
  • Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
  • Astigmatism.
  • Cataracts.
  • Color Blindness.
  • Diabetic Retinopathy.
  • Dry Eye.
  • Floaters.

Can an eye test detect other health problems? ›

Syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, HIV, gonorrhea, genital warts and pubic lice can all affect layers of the eye. These serious conditions are often detected during an eye exam.

Can an eye test detect brain problems? ›

In fact, they can even spot brain tumours before there are any noticeable symptoms, making routine eye tests a good choice if possible. During an eye test, an optician can identify a brain tumour by either noticing a swelling of the optic disc or seeing pressure on the optic nerve.

Can an eye exam detect autoimmune disease? ›

Some of the common diseases an eye exam can help detect include sight-threatening eye diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, and certain cancers.

Can an eye test detect liver problems? ›

From an ocular perspective, its unique anatomical structures have been utilized as a window to directly witness disease-related neurovascular changes, and the latest study further expands this application to detecting asymptomatic liver disease like fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, and slight cirrhosis even at the ...

What is the healthiest eye color? ›

If you have brown eyes, you'll be happy to know they have been associated with some health benefits. People with brown eyes may be less vulnerable to certain diseases. For example, people with brown eyes appear less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration than people with light-colored eyes.

Can your eyes show health problems? ›

An eye exam can reveal the signs of more diseases and conditions, from STDs to multiple sclerosis to an aneurysm. But you should see your eye doctor regularly if only so they can detect and treat any eye conditions.

What organ affects the eyes? ›

The consequences of liver disease go beyond damage to the liver. Many serious complications may arise, including visual impairment. Learn more in our latest blog about the effects the liver can have on eyesight and why liver health is essential to our overall health.

What are four common eye problems? ›

Those diseases include age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Other common eye disorders include amblyopia and strabismus.

Can you tell someone's health by their eyes? ›

Your eye exam can tell you a lot about your overall health. For example, your eye doctor can spot early signs of diabetes, whether you are at higher risk of heart disease and even indications that you may have cancer. Eye exams check far more than your vision.

What are the signs of high cholesterol in the eyes? ›

High cholesterol symptoms can include problems with your eyes, such as blurry vision, seeing dark spots, eye pain and more. The eyes can also be affected in ways that don't change the way you see. One such example is the most common cholesterol-related eye problem xanthelasma , a yellowing of the skin around the eyes.

What are the worst eye diseases? ›

Other, more serious conditions also happen as you age. Eye diseases like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts, can cause vision problems. Symptoms vary a lot among these disorders, so keep up with your eye exams. Some vision changes can be dangerous and need immediate medical care.

What can be diagnosed with an eye exam? ›

Some of the diseases or conditions your optometrist can detect include:
  • Cataracts. ...
  • Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) ...
  • Glaucoma. ...
  • Retinal Detachment. ...
  • Diabetic Retinopathy. ...
  • Hypertensive Retinopathy. ...
  • Hyperlipidemia (Elevated cholesterol levels) ...
  • Cancer.
Aug 31, 2023

Can an eye test detect heart problems? ›

Your eyes can reveal early signs of heart disease, and optometrists will look for these signs during routine eye exams. The eyes are the only place in the body where we can easily access visible blood vessels, and examining these vessels gives us an idea of the health of the whole vascular system.

References

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