Eyes not only help you see different colors of the world but they can also reveal many secrets related to your health. Usually people get their eyes checked just to find out the number of glasses or the cause of blurriness, but do you know that an experienced eye specialist can even tell your heartbeat and health condition by looking at the fine blood vessels of your retina.

Dr. Ajit Singh, Senior Consultant and Head of Cardiac Sciences, Sharda Care Healthcity, says that the small blood vessels in the layer behind the eye, called retina, reflect the condition of the blood vessels of our body. Like major arteries like the heart and brain, these retinal blood vessels can also show the effects of high blood pressure, sugar, and hardening of the arteries. Let us know which problems related to heart health can be detected through eye examination.

blood circulation problem

If changes are seen in the retinal vessels such as swelling, thinning, narrowing or blockage, it may indicate that similar blood circulation problems are present in the rest of the body. Conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes or stones in the vessels may first develop in these small vessels. These changes can further indicate heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) risks.

heart health

During a routine eye exam, the specialist can look at the arteries at the back of the eye to see if there are any problems with the heart or the body's blood system. That's why, if your eye exam finds abnormalities, it may be a signal to the cardiologist (heart doctor) that your heart health needs a more in-depth checkup.

sign of diabetes or cholesterol

It is also important to note that eye examination not only detects vision problems but can also give indications about the speed, pressure and quality of blood flowing in the body. For example, if there is swelling in the retina's tubes, it could be a warning sign of high blood pressure; if small pieces of blood begin to clot, it could indicate diabetes or cholesterol-related problems.

Advice-Always remember that heart diseases often develop slowly and without obvious symptoms. Many times a person does not have any complaints until a major problem occurs. In such a situation, routine eye examination is a cheap, non-invasive and effective method, which can help in identifying possible heart related problems in time.

Dr. Ajit Singh says, 'I would like to say that it is important for both eyes and heart to be healthy. Regular eye exams, general health checkups, blood pressure and sugar monitoring are all important parts of heart protection'.