It makes perfect sense that attending regular comprehensive eye exams is a great way to monitor the health and condition of your eyes and detect any developing problems early before they have serious consequences for your vision. However, you may be surprised to learn that it’s not only ocular problems that can be identified during an eye exam. Issues with your general health and wellbeing can too.

Here are some potentially deadly conditions that can be detected during a routine eye exam.

Brain Tumor

Brain tumors occur when cells in the brain grow and multiply in an abnormal and uncontrollable way. There are lots of different types and grades of brain tumors, and these are based on how fast they grow and how likely they are to grow back following treatment. Unfortunately, some types of brain tumors are more serious than others, with many having the potential to be fatal if they aren’t detected and treated swiftly.

Some of the eye key symptoms of a brain tumor include visual disturbances like double vision, blurred vision, or abnormal eye movements. An eye doctor may be will able to detect any increased pressure in the brain or swelling of the optic nerve that could also indicate the presence of a brain tumor.

Aneurysm

An aneurysm is characterized as a bulge in the wall of an artery. It’s not always known why they develop, and while some are harmless, others can rupture and cause life-threatening complications. Fortunately, comprehensive eye exams can often reveal symptoms of an aneurysm that may not otherwise be obvious, including swelling of the optic nerve or bleeding into the retina, which is the area of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye.

Cardiovascular Disease

Also known as CVD, cardiovascular disease is a general term that is used to describe the various health conditions affecting the heart and/or blood vessels. Some cardiovascular diseases which you may be familiar with include coronary heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), stroke, heart attack, and vascular dementia. In most cases, cardiovascular diseases are associated with the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries, which can cause damage to the arteries serving key body organs like the brain, heart, kidneys, and eyes.

People who have cardiovascular disease may be at higher risk of developing certain types of eye problems. However, cardiovascular diseases can also be identified at comprehensive eye exams. This is because problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol cause changes to the structure of the eyes which can be seen by your eye doctor. For example, high blood pressure can cause damage to the tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye which are visible during a comprehensive eye exam.

Stroke

A stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency that happens when the blood supply to a part of your brain is cut off. This causes damage that starts to occur right away, and urgent treatment is absolutely essential. The sooner you receive treatment, the less damage is likely to be caused to your long-term mobility. High blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke, along with many others. Fortunately, many eye doctors are able to detect blood vessels that have broken and leaked fluid onto the retina, causing sudden blind spots and more. Attending regular eye exams could help stop a stroke from happening before you even get any symptoms.

For more about how comprehensive eye exams can save lives, visit General Vision Express Lens Lab in Brooklyn, New York. Call (718) 486-6055 to schedule an appointment today.