Your Eyes: Windows to Your Health
Dental & Vision
An eye exam can tell a lot about your overall health.
Eye exams not only help keep your vision sharp, but they can also detect a wide variety of underlying health issues, many of which may not show obvious symptoms and often go unnoticed.
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That’s why it’s important to get regular eye exams—even if you don’t wear glasses or contact lenses.
An eye exam can help detect dozens of conditions, including the following:
- Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults age 20 – 74.2 An eye health professional can often detect changes in the blood vessels of the retina, which may signal diabetes. Early detection can help people avoid vision loss and other serious complications.
- Heart disease and high blood pressurecan also be detected by subtle changes in the retina, which may predict future heart problems. An eye exam can provide early detection to aid in your heart health.3
- Thyroid eye disease, an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and damage to the tissues around the eye, can be diagnosed as part of an eye exam. It often occurs in individuals with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid. Once detected, other tests can be done to address potential thyroid-related concerns.4
- Multiple sclerosis can cause vision problems as a result of optic neuritis, an acute inflammatory disorder of the optic nerve. It’s the first symptom in up to 20% of people who are subsequently diagnosed with MS. If an optometrist suspects optic neuritis in a routine eye examination, a patient can be referred for further testing.5
- Cancers of blood, tissue, or skin can be first detected during an eye exam. Skin cancers like basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma affect the eyelids and outer surfaces of the eye. Leukemia and lymphoma can also affect the interior aspect of the eye.6
- Brain tumors can cause increased pressure in the brain that gets transmitted to the eye. Swelling near the back of the eyes causes changes to the optic nerve that an eye doctor can see. Loss of side vision, double vision, or changes in pupil size are other signs of a brain tumor.7
It’s clear that comprehensive eye exams benefit your health well beyond the goal of 20/20 vision. So how can you make sure to make an eye exam part of your yearly routine? Our Vision Plans from Ameritas help make eye care more affordable. Choose from the VSP or EyeMed networks, which include coverage for eye exams, eyewear and optic procedures. Learn more.
1,3“See the Full Picture of Your Health with an Annual Comprehensive Eye Exam,” American Optometric Association, aoa.org, accessed February 2025.
2“How does diabetes affect your body?” WebMD.com, accessed February 2025.
4“How Your Eye Exam Can Detect Thyroid Eye Problems,” visionworks.com, accessed February 2025.
5“Are the eyes the windows to our health? Sighting dementia, MS, and diabetes,” MedicalNewsToday.com, accessed February 2025.
6,7“20 Surprising Health Problems an Eye Exam Can Catch,” American Academy of Ophthalmology, aao.org., April 2024.
