How Healthy is Your Heart? An Eye Exam May be Able to Help You Find Out
You have heard the saying, "the eyes are the window to the soul" But did you know that they can also tell you something about your heart heath? An annual exam does more than check your vision - it can help detect signs of chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes that could lead to heart disease.
Risk Factors
Look at the risk factors you can modify, control, or treat by changing your lifestyle or taking medicine.
- Smoking
An estimated one in four deaths in the United States are due to illnesses related to smoking. It is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and even death.1
- High Cholesterol
Lowering your cholesterol can also lower your chance of developing coronary heart disease. As blood cholesterol rises, so might risk of disease.
- High Blood Pressure
Having both high blood pressure and diabetes can increase your risk of heart disease.
- Unhealthy Weight
Having excess weight increases the amount of work your heart must do. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight will help prevent coronary heart disease.
- Unhealthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins is good for your entire body, including your heart and eye health.
- High or Low Blood Sugar
Diabetes increases the risk of developing heart disease. Keeping your blood sugar in a normal range will help with overall health.
- Stress
Everybody is different, but for some, stress may lead to heart disease and/or stroke.
Get Your Yearly Eye Exam
Your overall health matters. Find a provider and schedule this year’s eye exam today. Don’t forget, you have a zero-dollar copay when you visit a Premier Program location including Visionworks.
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Sources:
This information has been adapted from the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention | CDC.