Google and its health-tech subsidiary, Verily, published a study in 2018 in Nature Biomedical Engineering that showed the company’s machine-learning algorithm is able to successfully predict a patient’s risk for cardiovascular disease based on a scan of the backs of their eyes. The research into the eye-heart connection is increasing. If severe and left untreated, it can cause damage to the cornea, the dome-shaped, clear surface of the eye. Dry eye, for example, is commonly associated with these conditions. Many of these conditions can cause eye inflammation and can result in pain and redness and vision loss. Not only can heart problems be revealed through a routine eye exam systemic inflammatory diseases that cause arthritis and inflammation in other parts of the body can also be detected. A simple eye exam can help a patient catch it early and put them on the path to proper treatment. Going blind from diabetes or developing cardiac issues does not have to happen. Diabetes also is linked to heart disease. If this occurs, a patient is at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness and issues of the heart and kidneys. In the eye, high blood sugar can bring about problems in the small blood vessels. But because diabetes can have a slow onset, people may miss obvious clues. Diabetesĭiabetes also is an ailment that is commonly diagnosed through an eye exam. This can either restrict or block blood flow, which can result in tissue damage, a stroke, blindness or even death. If we see small emboli in the eye, they can be coming either from an arteriosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery, which is the main artery that brings blood to the head and neck, or they can come from emboli in the heart.Īn arterial embolism occurs when an embolus has traveled through the arteries and become stuck in small vessels or organs like the brain or the retina. Hypertension isn’t the only heart-related ailment that can be detected in the eye. The clots were not affecting their vision, and the patients were discovered to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
I have had patients come in for a regular checkup, and I found some evidence of changes in the ratio or shape of retinal vessels or small blood clots in the eye. Sometimes, patients may not know they have high blood pressure - which rarely has physical symptoms, but can lead to heart disease and stroke - until they come in for an eye exam.
So, if the artery is a lot smaller than the vein, or the vein is a lot bigger and dilated, that may indicate high blood pressure or cardiovascular risk factors. The ratio between the size of retinal arteries to veins is supposed to be approximately two to three. This can lead to bleeding in the eye, blurred vision, swelling, blood clots, damage to the nerve or even stroke in the retina with complete loss of vision.Īn eye specialist can look at the blood vessels in your eye and detect signs of high blood pressure or even diabetes - even without using a blood pressure cuff. In the eye, high blood pressure can cause retinopathy, or damage to the eye’s main blood supply. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, happens when the force of blood against an artery wall is too high. To do this, your ophthalmologist will use an ophthalmoscope to examine things such as pupil reflexes, the lens of your eye, the retina and the optic nerve. Most eye exams include an inspection of the outside and inside of the eye. That means issues we see in the eye can be directly linked to health problems with the heart and the vessels in your body. How is this possible? The arrangement of blood vessels at the back of the eye, known as the retina vasculature, is closely connected to the health of your heart. In fact, an eye exam can reveal underlying health problems. The eyes do more than allow us to see they have something to say.
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