If you went to the doctor every time something hurt or something didn’t seem quite right, you would spend a whole lot of time in the doctor’s office. There are some things that happen as you age that you have to look past and take with a grain of salt. But no matter how old you are, when your eyes send you certain signals, you should never ignore it. Your eyes can tell you quite a bit about your overall health.
Some signs shouldn’t be brushed aside, whether they happen often or only once. Eye issues aren’t just a matter of eye health. Your eyes can also tell you a lot about your risk factors for other health conditions and diseases. If you’ve recently experienced any of these five telltale signs that something isn’t quite right, make sure to follow up with an eye care professional.
Statistics show that as many as sixty-one million adults in the US are at risk of serious vision loss or other ocular health conditions, but only about 35% of adults regularly seek medical assistance from an eye care professional. Whether it is a lack of insurance coverage or just a matter of inconvenience, many people don’t get regular Winnipeg eye exam that could find and prevent problems.
These five warning signs could signal that something more ominous is going on with your health.
1. Floaters or flashers
Almost everyone has experienced “floaters”. These are transparent spots in your vision, as you might see while looking at a clear blue sky. Although floaters are typically nothing serious, they can sometimes be a sign of eye disease. If floaters have a quick onset, then they should be checked out. You should also see a doctor if your floaters are accompanied by “flashers,” which are random flashes of light across your visual field.
Floaters can be a symptom of a condition called PVD, or posterior vitreous detachment. This means that your vitreous membrane, a layer of collagen in the eye, has started to separate from the retina. PVD is a condition that is associated with impending age, usually occurring in people over the age of 50. Floaters can also indicate a tear in the retina, which can result in blindness if it isn’t caught early. The biggest problem with both PVD and retinal tears is that, in most cases, there is no pain to alert you that something’s wrong. The good news is that these conditions are preventable with laser treatment and early diagnosis.
2. Teary or consistently red eyes
It isn’t abnormal for those who have contacts, or seasonal allergies, to experience periods of red or teary eyes. If you aren’t prone to red eyes, and you suddenly notice that they are frequently tearing up, you might have a condition called keratitis. This is an infection that occurs in the cornea of the eye. If you don’t address it quickly, and get medicine to cure the infection, it could lead to vision loss.
3. Seeing double
If you see double, that is typically not a good thing. You can have double vision in either one or both eyes, but double vision is typically more common in both. Although it affects your eyesight, double vision is typically related to autoimmune or neurological issues, rather than a defect in the eye itself. If your double vision is accompanied by other symptoms, such as slurred speech, pain, or weakness, you need to be evaluated immediately. Go directly to the emergency room.
4. Different size pupils
If you notice that each of your pupils is a different size, drop everything and go directly to the ER. This is a sign of a serious and potentially life-threatening neurological problem. Pupils that aren’t equal in size can point to conditions such as an aneurysm, stroke, or brain infection. Seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
5. Eye pain
There is never a reason that you should experience eye pain, unless you have had an accident or something is lodged inside of the eye itself. If you notice that you are having pain in your eyes, then you have to consider the potential that you have glaucoma. Glaucoma is a condition of the eye where the pressure in it is increased, which leads to pain. If left untreated, it can lead to vision loss. It can also be a sign that something more ominous is going on in your body.
Don’t ignore what your eyes are telling you. Signs and symptoms that your eyes are sending to you, like eye pain, visual distortion, and other vision problems, may be something serious. Since your eyesight is so important to your overall quality of life, it is never a good idea to take a chance. The sooner you get treatment, the better your outcome will be.
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