Your Eyes Could Be the Windows to Your Health (8:39)
Eye Health Connected to Overall Health
Broadcast Retirement Network’s Jeffrey Snyder discusses the importance of routine eye exams with the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Amita Vadada, MD.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
This morning on BRN, your eyes could be the window to your health. Joining me now is Dr. Amita Vandada. She is a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Vandada, great to see you. Thanks for joining us on the program this morning.
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Thank you for having me.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
I’m always excited to talk to our medical practitioners around the country, and this one is such an important story. They often say that the eyes are the window to the soul, but more importantly, I guess, from your perspective, they’re also the window to your health.
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Absolutely. Yeah, you know, it’s interesting because the eyes are actually the only place in our body where doctors can have an unobstructed view of our blood vessels, our nerves, our connective tissue without needing any surgery. And so yes, the eyes are absolutely the window to our soul, but also the window to our health.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
And what types of ailments, you know, I think our audience, many of our audience members, not all of our audience members probably go for the regular ophthalmological exam, but what types of ailments can you pick up by just looking into someone’s eyes with the tools of the trade?
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Yeah. So, you know, just off the top of my head to list a few brain aneurysms, brain tumors, cancers of the skin, blood and tissue, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, autoimmune disease. So really, the eyes are very, very telling of our entire health.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
And, you know, I think I would imagine that this underscores knowing things in advance, obviously allows for practitioners to treat before things get out of hand. So therefore, it’s fairly important to go regularly to an ophthalmologist like yourself to get a regular checkup.
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Definitely. You know, just the other day, I was performing a dilated eye exam where you dilate a patient’s pupils in order to see the back of the eye or their retina. And I noticed that some of the blood vessels were bleeding.
And this is often seen with diabetics. And this patient, however, was not diagnosed with diabetes. And so actually those bleeding eye vessels were the first sign of his diabetes.
So it’s really important to maintain excellent eye health and to see your eye care provider to really find these clues that can be indicative of your general health.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
And, you know, in terms of the actual exam, I mean, I think I’ve been through it. But from your experience, I mean, does it hurt? What can we expect when we go to a practitioner like yourself to sit for that eye exam?
I mean, how much time does it take? What’s required? What goes into it?
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Yeah. So, you know, when you go to an eye exam, first off, you’re always going to get your vision checked. And then you are going to have eye drops put in.
And most likely, you’ll have to get a dilated eye exam, especially if it’s your first time seeing an eye doctor. And these drops dilate the pupil or the black circular part of the eye so that we can see into the back of the eye or the retina. Now, in order for us to see into the back of the retina and get a really full, comprehensive view, we do need to dilate the eyes.
And that will make your vision blurry, especially up close when you’re trying to read for about three hours. But, you know, the eye exam itself is not painful. We do look in with some bright lights.
But overall, it’s, I would say, a painless and relatively quick exam. The dilating drops do take about 15 to 20 minutes to work. But overall, I think it’s painless and I like to think of it as a pleasant experience, or at least I try to make it as pleasant as possible.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
And yeah, I mean, I’ve been through it numerous times, obviously, and it’s non-invasive. And is there an age, I’m thinking about our parents out there, is there an age that you should start your children in the eye exam routine? Is it six months, a year, two months, excuse me, two years?
When do you start your children on this routine?
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
That’s a great question. So, you know, we don’t want to overburden the system because so many times, you know, there’s not so many pediatric ophthalmologists out there. And so a lot of times, you know, if we told every child to go to a pediatric ophthalmologist, that would really overburden the system.
So, however, if there’s any problems that are noted, or if there’s any family history, or really any concern, you should absolutely see a pediatric ophthalmologist. Now, pediatric ophthalmologists are going to be working very closely with their pediatrician counterparts. And so every child should be screened, have a vision screening exam, but not necessarily at a pediatric ophthalmologist’s office.
And again, if there’s ever any issue or any question, absolutely go see your pediatric ophthalmologist. But your child should be getting vision screened by their pediatrician.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
Yeah, I seem to recall mine. I mean, this was like 50 years ago, but I remember, you know, the light and they kind of test you to see can you, are you reacting appropriately? And then they recommend you if need be to the ophthalmologist.
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Yes. Yeah. So if there’s any, especially we’re going to be looking for not able to read the eye chart, right?
That’s kind of like the basis of the vision screening exams. And so if there’s any difficulty reading, and if there’s any difference between the two eyes, or really any concern at all, we’re going to have the pediatric ophthalmologist take a look.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
Last question for you, doctor, for those that may not have medical insurance, I know that the Affordable Care Act provided some affordability and other aspects to care, but there may be individuals out there that don’t have access to some type of health insurance. Can they still get access? I would think that these individuals would need, they would want to preemptively get checked out.
I mean, maybe they’re having vision problems. Maybe they have the early onset of diabetes. They probably want to know these things.
Are there any programs or any way for them to take advantage of getting some of these types of services, either through, I’m not asking you for specifics, but through local programs or federal programs?
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
You know, I mean, I’m sure there are vision services and vision programs. I’m probably not the best person to speak to that. If you go to the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s website, they have resources that could direct you to, you know, find appropriate vision services.
But absolutely, there are programs out there.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
Yeah. I mean, there’s no reason in today’s America, in today’s world, I mean, you want to be able to have, we have access to so many great services, like the ones that you and your colleagues provide. And you get a look, not only into your soul, but into your eyes and you get an idea of what your health is like.
I’d want to know that regardless of whether or not I had health insurance or not. Dr. Vedada, we’re going to have to leave it there. Great to see you.
Thanks so much for popping by the program. And we look forward to having you back again very soon.
Amita Vadada, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Absolutely. Thanks for having me.
Jeffrey H. Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network
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Until tomorrow, I’m Jeff Snyder. Stay safe, keep on saving and don’t forget, roll with the changes.