Young woman smiling with glasses

What Your Eyes are Telling You About Your Health

An eye doctor can view the veins, arteries, and the optic nerve within the eye to assist in detecting eye diseases and diseases within the body. Here a few things your eyes could be telling your about your body:

Symptom:

What your eyes may be telling you:

How to treat:


Protruding or bulging eyes (white can be seen between the iris {color of the eyes} and the top eyelids)

Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or Grave’s Disease.

If you have protruding eyes, sudden blurry vision, an increase or decrease in appetite, or palpitations seek a healthcare professional’s help immediately. Medication and surgery may be needed for treatment of an overactive thyroid or Grave’s Disease.


Tiny yellow bumps on your eyelid

These yellow bumps may be Xanthelasma Palpebra (cholesterol bumps) which are fatty deposits that are painless but are a warning sign of high cholesterol. High cholesterol can lead to fat build-up blocking blood flow to eyes which can cause vision loss.

Visit an eye care professional to examine your eyes and the yellow bumps. In some cases they may be removed. Also be sure to keep your cholesterol under control with diet, exercise and medication if prescribed.


Flashing lights, blind spots, and zigzag lines

You may be suffering from an ocular migraine. Usually it begins as a small blind spot that becomes larger in your central field of vision. Bright flashing lights or wavy, zigzag lines appear around the blind spot. The migraine may last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. If you are driving or doing an activity, stop what you’re doing and wait for your migraine to pass.

It is recommended to see a healthcare professional to get checked out. Also visit an eye care professional as these symptoms may also be caused by more serious conditions such as retinal detachment or macular degeneration.

Sources:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/412228-cholesterol-bumps-on-the-eyelids/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003033.htm
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/ocular-migraine.htm