What Your Eyes Can Tell You About The Rest Of Your Body

It’s amazing how everything in your body works together to keep you healthy. Like a perfect machine, each organ communicates with one another enabling your body to live and breathe. Equally astonishing is how one part of our body can tell you what is wrong with another part. It’s almost like your body is sending out a visible warning signal asking for help. Here are some of the ways your eyes can alert you to other health issues you may be experiencing.

Twitching eyes: Stress, especially if it’s consistent for a long period of time, can begin to manifest itself in other areas of your body. Eyes that twitch a lot can be an indication of your body reacting to stress, as well as fatigue, alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine. While it can be extremely common, persistent eye twitches can sometimes indicate a more serious problem with your nervous system.

Blurry vision: Any vision blurriness should be checked by your eye doctor. It may only mean that you just need glasses or a stronger prescription for your current glasses. But, it can also indicate diabetes, cataracts, or even macular degeneration. Sudden blurry vision should be addressed immediately as it could indicate a problem with blood flowing to the brain which could be predicating a stroke.

White ring around the iris: This can be an indication of high cholesterol which, when left untreated, can increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Droopy eyelids: While it can indicate fatigue, droopy eyelids will also be evident with myasthenia gravis, an immune system disorder that weakens the muscles. Left untreated, it can spread throughout your body causing eventual paralysis.

High blood pressure: While you won’t be able to see it, your ophthalmologist will be able to see any damage to your retina caused by high blood pressure. It will almost look like scarring when examined.

Cloudy eye: Usually a sign of cataracts, it’s most common with older people and is treatable with surgery. In younger people, cloudy eyes can indicate tumors or diabetes.

Puffy, red, irritated eyes: While it’s usually associated with a lack of sleep, if it doesn’t improve with sleep, it could indicate a more serious condition which your eye doctor would be able to fully assess.

Skin cancer: Small sores that form on the eyelid and do not heal could be a sign of skin cancer, especially if the sores are accompanied by a lose of any eyelashes.

Under-eye circles: If dark circles under your eyes are plaguing you, it could mean your eyes are battling a reaction to any number of different allergens. The darkness is actually blood pooling where it’s needed. It’s one of your body’s natural defense mechanisms used to fight off threats. Luckily, allergy medication can help ease the discoloring.

Yellowing in the whites of the eyes: This will usually be accompanied by other parts of the body showing the yellowish tint as well. The coloring indicates jaundice, which is most common with babies and is treatable. With adults, the yellowish eyes can indicate hepatitis, liver disease, gallstones, or even cancer.

Inflammation: Chronic swelling and redness can be an indicator of an inflammation somewhere else in the body. Your immune system could be attacking your own body to fight off Chrohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or any other infection.

Corneal infection: If you wear contact lenses, they can sometimes cause tiny abrasions on the cornea. White spots will begin to appear on the cornea causing eye redness, inflammation which can be painful, and can even lead to scarring. Usually, taking a break from wearing contact lenses and using eyewash will clear up the infection.

Horner’s syndrome: A combination of droopy eyelids and differently sized pupils in each eye usually point to this syndrome. Horner’s syndrome can be responsible for tumors in the neck area as well as aneurysms.

Multiple sclerosis: If you are experiencing pain and blurred vision, your eye doctor will want to examine your optic nerve. If your ophthalmologist sees that your optic nerve is inflamed, it could be a warning sign that MS is attacking the nervous system.

Bulging eyes: Sometimes referred to as ‘bug eyes,’ this is usually associated with thyroid issues. If your pituitary gland is not functioning properly, you could also experience a sudden loss of weight, diarrhea, or hand tremors.

AIDS: HIV/AIDS will also affect the retina. Your eye doctor will always want to thoroughly examine the retina if you are experiencing any pain. The retina is often one of the first parts of the body to react in the event of any type of serious condition.

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