Windows to Your Health

Here's a new reason not to cancel your next eye appointment; subtle signs in your eyes could tell your optometrist if you are risk of having a stroke.
After dilating your pupils, the doctor uses an ophthalmoscope or takes a photograph to look for changes in the retina that signal retinopathy, ballooning or bursting of the tiny vessels of the retina. These signs can also tell your doctor whether you have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In a study headed by ophthalmologist, Professor Paul Mitchell from the University of Sydney, 3654 patients' eyes were examined. Those with blood vessel damage were 70% more likely than those without the lesions to have a stroke within seven years.



p.s. an eye for an eye...