An eye exam can save your life

OPTOMETRISTS CAN KNOW ABOUT YOUR GENERAL HEALTH

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Annual comprehensive eye exams are not just about your vision. These yearly visits are also your best chance at early detection of over 270 non-eye related diseases including cancers, autoimmune diseases, stroke risk, high blood pressure and more. Eye doctors are the only health professionals that can see into the back of the eye to investigate the health of the blood vessels and optic nerve, which can uncover a lot about your eyes and general health.

“In fact, many of the 270 diseases that can be detected in an eye exam can be detected by an eye doctor before symptoms show up. This means that early detection of a disease can gives the patient and healthcare team the ability to treat, manage and slow progression before quality of life is impacted”, says Esteban Sandoval, optometrist. He continues, “we want every Coloradan to know that when you skip your annual eye exam you’re putting more than your eyesight at risk”.

An annual eye exam is truly your best chance at early detection for general health challenges that can impact patients at any age. It’s a simple 30–60-minute appointment that has saved lives. Don’t skip this exam,” says Doctor Sandoval, with Denver Eye Practive & Optical.  

 Common Health Conditions Optometrists Can Detect

• Autoimmune diseases (lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis)
• Certain cancers (blood, skin, tissue)
• Brain tumors
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Heart disease
• Sjögren’s syndrome
• Stroke risk
• Thyroid disease