Diabetes (high sugar) and hypertension (high blood pressure) often cause damage to the blood vessels throughout our bodies. A through eye examination can reveal early and advanced damage (retinopathy) in the small retinal blood vessels deep inside the eye.
Many times early diabetic retinopathy and early hypertensive retinopathy occur before a person has any visual symptoms. However, once the damage spreads to more central retinal blood vessels, vision can be irreversibly damaged.
During a comprehensive dilated eye examination, Dr. Saub specifically looks for damaged retinal blood vessels, which are usually the result of cardiovascular disease such as diabetes and hypertension, though other causes exist. Early detection is the key to preserving vision and to uncovering potentially life threatening underlying systemic disease.
Interesting, the eye is the only organ that provides an easy, quick, low risk way to exam cardiovascular health.
