Eye doctors may be able to detect signs of heart
disease during a comprehensive eye exam, experts say. A new study finds that people with heart disease tend to
have retinas marked by evidence of eye stroke.
Eye strokes happen when the eye is deprived of
blood flow and oxygen, causing cells to die. This creates a mark, called a
retinal ischemic perivascular lesion. These marks can be spotted when
ophthalmologists use an imaging tool called optical
coherence tomography, or OCT, to take a
close look at the retina.
OCT scans of the retina (such as the one
pictured above) are valuable ways to detect disease and dysfunction in all
parts of the body — not just the eyes, says ophthalmologist and Academy
spokesperson Joseph Nezgoda, MD, a retina specialist. Eye scans can detect
signs of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other underlying health
conditions.
How
Eye Exams Can Detect Heart Disease
The eye is the only place in the body where a
doctor can see the live action of blood vessels, nerves and connecting tissue
without relying on an invasive procedure. That’s why eye
doctors are often the first to detect health conditions including high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, stroke and more. While the marks left behind by eye strokes may
be present in low numbers in healthy people, those with heart disease tend to
have a far greater number. Researchers arrived at these results by
reviewing the medical records of 84 people with heart disease and 76 healthy
people, all of whom had received a retinal OCT scan.
Catching
Heart Disease Early Can Save Lives
The new study adds to the list of health
conditions an eye exam may help detect.
For people with heart disease-the number one
cause of death worldwide-early diagnosis and treatment could help stave off a
heart attack or stroke. Your eye doctor may refer you to a cardiologist if
they spot eye strokes on an OCT scan, especially if you haven’t had a
comprehensive health check or even a family history of heart disease. Please
schedule a comprehensive eye exam at Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor
& Associates in Fairfield County, or Facebook.
Doctor & Associates offices are conveniently located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.
