Eye Exams and the Health of Your Mind and Body

Everyone's heard the adage that "the eyes are the window to the soul." But did you know that they can also be a primary window into the overall health of your body and mind? A comprehensive eye exam with our team in St. Clairsville can play an important role in the early detection of systemic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, and may also help ward off depression and other emotional and psychological conditions.

Eye Exams and Whole-Body Health

Health care statistics indicate that people are as much as 3 times more likely to schedule a yearly eye exam than a visit to their physician for a routine physical. This makes it much more likely that the very first indications of serious health conditions will be found during a routine eye exam. Systemic issues that can often be detected by your local optometrist include diabetes, certain cancers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and multiple sclerosis.

These conditions are often detected by evaluating the blood vessels inside the eye for damage or plaque build-up, and checking for bleeding in the retina or other internal eye structures.

Healthy Eyes and Mental/Emotional Health

Annual comprehensive eye exams are also an important part of maintaining your family's mental and emotional health, since vision deeply impacts general wellbeing. For children, eye exams ensure they're meeting their developmental milestones and are able to see clearly in school and at play. For adults in their 40s, yearly checkups become important for detecting presbyopia. In a person's 50s, 60s, and 70s, conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts become more prevalent. Diagnosing and treating these conditions early can prevent significant vision loss, which multiple studies have linked to depression and increased risk of Alzheimer's and dementia.

Want to learn more about how our St. Clairsville eye doctors can help keep your body and mind healthy? Come visit St. Clairsville Eyecare or give us a call at (740) 695-0444.