3 Ways Your Eyes Are Telling You That You May Have An Underlying Health Problem

The eyes can tell you a lot about what you want to know about a person. What you may not realize, though, is that your eyes can give you a wealth of insight into your own health. While you should never play doctor, it doesn't hurt to know what looking in the mirror will tell you about yourself. Here are three ways your eyes are trying to tell you that there is a problem:

Grayish Ring Around Your Cornea

If you look into the mirror and notice that there is a grayish arc or circle around the outer edge of your cornea, then you may have a problem and need to see the doctor to be checked out. These cholesterol rings aren't necessarily a sign of old age like they are with your hair, though they are pretty common in older individuals. They can occur in younger adults in which case there is more cause for concern, as other factors come into play, such as blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

Bug Eyes or Deer in the Headlight Eyes

If you have noticed that you have a bug-eyed or deer-in-the-headlights look, it may be a sign that you have a medical condition known as Grave's disease. In simpler terms, Grave's disease means that you have an overactive thyroid. According to Mayo Clinic, roughly 30 percent of individuals with the condition will show signs related to Graves' ophthalmopathy, which includes signs and symptoms related to the eyes, such as the bulging eyes. Women, especially those under 40, are more likely to develop the condition than men.

Droopy Eyelids

If you have noticed that both of your eyelids are droopy, especially more so than usual, it may be a sign of a rare autoimmune disorder of the muscles. This particular condition is known as myasthenia gravis and it is most common in women under the age of 40 and men over the age of 60. The eye muscles are the first symptom, typically followed by blurred vision, unstable gait, facial expression changes, swallowing difficulties, shortness of breath, speech impairment and weakness in the limbs. While the name is a bit intimidating, there are promising treatments available for this particular condition, including medications and surgeries.

All of these medical conditions can seem scary, but you can prevent them from becoming a problem by simply visiting your eye doctor on a regular basis. Eye problems, along with the health problems discussed here and many more, can be detected early on and treated so that they don't have to affect your life in a negative way. If you haven't seen your optometrist in the past year, schedule an appointment immediately and get a full work-up.


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