What Can Your Eyes Tell You About Your General Health?

They say looking into someone’s eyes can tell you who they truly are – but they can also provide clues to several general health conditions. So, more reason than ever to book yourself in for that eye check! Read on to learn a bit more…

Twitching Eyes

This one, you’ll be able to notice yourself. It is often a sign that your body is tired or stressed. Your sympathetic nervous system (ooh, we’re getting technical), responsible for involuntary muscle movements, can go into overdrive, making the muscles in your eyes contract.

While this is usually nothing to worry about and can go away of its own accord, you might want to try and slow things down a little, so make sure you book some time in for R&R.

Watery Eyes

Do you find your eyes watering when using a computer or device? Too much screen time can mean you’re straining your eyes, causing them to dry out, which your tear ducts compensate for by working overtime. Give your eyes a rest (and avoid risking a tension headache) by taking screen breaks every hour or so. If your watery eyes are accompanied by redness and itching, this could also be a sign of allergies such as hay fever.

You can find out more on dry eyes with our blog here

Changes to the Skin Around the Eye

Protecting the delicate skin around your eyes from the sun is just as important as protecting the eye itself. If you notice any changes to the skin in your eyelids or surrounding eye area, you should visit your G.P or opticians, and they can check for sun damage which could lead to cancer.

White Ring Around the Iris

Normally a sign of ageing, but it can also mean your cholesterol levels are too high (and that there’s a possible risk of a stroke or heart attack, eek). If you’re under 45, it’s definitely worth seeking medical advice.

Yellowing Eyes

If the sclera (the white part of the eyes) isn’t looking too bright and is, in fact, on the yellowish side, this could be a sign of jaundice, indicating that the liver isn’t working as it should. One of the liver’s jobs is to flush out waste products that form an orange-yellow fluid called bile. (Yuk!) If that doesn’t happen, it builds up in the body – hence the yellowish tinge to your eyes. It’s a rare condition in adults but can be associated with issues such as alcohol-related liver disease, hepatitis or gallstones.

Blurred Vision

This is likely to be the main reason you would visit your optician, as we do tend to associate blurred vision with the need for glasses or contact lenses.  Blurred vision can also indicate poor nutrition, so always worth speaking to your optician about dietary changes or supplements.

Broken Blood Vessels

Broken red blood vessels around the eyes may look alarming, but these are usually nothing to worry about and can be caused by something as simple as sneezing or coughing. The technical name for this is a subconjunctival haemorrhage, and the good news is they tend to go away of their own accord.  However, if they’re accompanied by irritation, you might want to try Moisturising Eye Drops

Remember to get your eyes checked regularly. Your eye test should be carried out every 1-2 years, and this is the same for your contact lens aftercare appointment. So, make sure to make that date with your optician!