A comprehensive eye exam involves various procedures and tests meant to evaluate a patient’s vision and eyes. This is why the examination can take more than an hour. Each test and procedure evaluate a different aspect of eye and vision health.

 

Did you know that your eyes can act as windows to your body? An eye doctor can detect signs of a disease creeping around elsewhere in your body. This is another important reason you need to undergo regular comprehensive eye exams.

 

A comprehensive eye exam is just as important as a physical exam in determining the state of your health. According to the AOA, American Optometric Association, adults should have comprehensive eye exams at least once every couple of years. But if you are at risk of developing certain eye conditions, you need to get them more often.

 

Health Problems Comprehensive Eye Exams Can Detect

In addition to detecting eye-related conditions, eye doctors can recognize signs of other health problems during a routine eye exam. It is not unusual for people to leave their eye doctor’s office with a referral to another type of medical specialist. Some of the diseases or health concerns your eye doctor may detect during a comprehensive eye exam include:

 

Brain Tumor

A brain tumor can cause increased pressure in your brain, transmitting the pressure to your eyes. This may lead to swelling near the back of your eyes, which can lead to changes or damage to your optic nerve.

 

During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor will notice changes to your optic nerve. Other common signs of a brain tumor include changes in pupil size, sudden double vision, and loss of side vision.

 

Aneurysm

This refers to a bubble in a blood vessel’s wall that can cause the wall to rupture or leak. An aneurysm is a serious condition that requires immediate attention. Common signs of this condition include severe headaches on one side of your face, loss of facial function, or even loss of body function.

 

Diabetes

During your comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor may notice some leaking of blood or yellow fluid from the tiny blood vessels in your retina. This may indicate diabetic retinopathy. Signs of diabetes may appear in your eye tissue even before your primary care doctor diagnoses you with the condition. Early detection of this condition can save you from loss of vision and other health complications.

 

Cancers of the Skin, Tissue, or Blood

A comprehensive eye exam can help eye doctors detect signs of various cancers. Skin cancers, such as melanoma, squamous cell, and basal cell, are the most common forms of cancer eye doctors detect during routine eye exams. They can also see signs of lymphoma and leukemia, which can affect the internal tissues of your eyes.

 

High Blood Pressure

Any irregular bleeding, twists, or bends in your retinal blood vessels can be a sign of high blood pressure. This is a common condition affecting about one of three adults in America. It is a risk factor in the development and or progression of conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and other eye conditions. A dilated eye exam can help your eye doctor notice signs of high blood pressure.

 

Other diseases an eye doctor can detect during a comprehensive eye exam include:

 

• High cholesterol
  
   

• Multiple sclerosis
  
   

• Lupus
  
   

• Rheumatoid arthritis and more
  
  
   

To learn how a comprehensive eye exam can help doctors detect various diseases, visit Today’s Vision at our office in Laguna Niguel, California. You can call (949) 518-0055 today to schedule an appointment.