Eye exams are great for getting your regular prescription fixed and dealing with any eye discomfort you have. But they can also be a great diagnostic tool for other serious diseases throughout the body. During your eye exam at a clinic like Quality Eye Care, your eye doctor will get a good look at your eye's surface that could help to diagnose these issues, among others. 

Hypertension

High blood pressure's effects can be seen throughout the body, and your eyes are one notable area where the effects are visible to an outsider. The blood vessels in your eyes may appear abnormal when you have hypertension; your eye doctor might notice that they are abnormally sized or colored, or they may see tears or bends in the vessels. 

Eye Cancers

Eye cancers can be detected early through regular eye exams. The first thing that your doctor may notice is that the eye is irregularly shaped or textured. If this is the case, they may send you to a specialist who deals with eye cancers. 

Diabetes

Your eye doctor can sometimes diagnose diabetes through your eye exam. The blood vessels in your eye may leak yellow fluids and/or blood when you have diabetes. If the doctor discovers this symptom, they may ask you to follow up with your general physician for a more thorough evaluation and blood tests. 

Thyroid Issues

Your eye doctor can play a big role in diagnosing thyroid diseases. If your doctor notices that your eyes are swollen or bulging, then they will likely order a check for thyroid hormone, since this is a classic symptom of thyroid disease. 

How to Make the Exam More Effective

In a great eye exam, your doctor will be able to clearly diagnose each of these eye issues quickly. In order to get a great eye exam consistently, there are a few things that you can do to help your eye doctor out. First of all, it helps to gather all of your medical information beforehand if you're seeing a new eye doctor. This includes your family's history of eye conditions, any eye conditions you've reported in the past, and eye doctors that you've seen before. You'll also want to write down the details of any symptoms that you're currently having. By providing your doctor with this information outright, you will help them get right to the symptoms and issues that matter most to ensure they don't miss any details.