Written By: Muskan Gupta | Published : August 19, 2025 9:49 AM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr Prashaant Chaudhry, Senior Consultant and Head, Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery, Aakash Healthcare
Eyes are not to be seen but are to be regarded as a window into your health. Such diseases as cancer, diabetes or high blood pressure (hypertension) may be diagnosed at earlier stages in the eyes than in other parts of the body. Such changes may be tracked through regular eye checkups so that timely action may be taken. Let us know in detail about signs to watch out for and why it is important.
According to Dr Prashaant Chaudhry, Senior Consultant and Head, Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery, Aakash Healthcare, there are some cancers that may produce effects in the eyes either directly or indirectly. As an example, melanoma may occur in the eye (uveal melanoma); it may appear as dark spots on the iris or lead to changes in vision.
"Retinoblastoma is a rare childhood malignancy, which can have the characteristic of appearing as a white glow in the pupil. Cancers that metastasise into the eye are known as secondary cancers, such as cancer of the breast or the lung, and they may be in the form of blurred vision, floaters, or headaches in the eyes."
In an eye test, doctors use special equipment such as a fundoscopy to examine the eye's choroid and optic nerve region to detect rather unusual growths or skull lesions in these two regions which may indicate an incidence of cancer. "Such signs can be lifesaving, as presentations followed promptly with the development of signs will initiate further investigation and treatment as early as possible," the doctor further added.
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and blindness as well as frequently beginning without warning. Elevated blood sugar causes microvascular damage in the retina and may result in swelling (oedema), bleeding (haemorrhage), or excessive proliferation of the blood vessels. Patients could experience blurred vision, dark spots, and failure to see at night, but the early stages experience no symptoms.
Retinal photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are utilised by ophthalmologists to identify microaneurysms, exudates or retinal swelling. Although you may not have diabetes, such findings during an eye exam may result in a blood sugar test referral, diagnosing the illness before it causes kidney failure or heart disease.
Blood vessels in the retina can also be harmed by hypertension without any signs of a problem; it is known as hypertensive retinopathy. The manifestations are slit arteries of the retina and bleeding or oedema of the optic disc. Headache, diplopia or temporary blindness in acute cases, and the early stages do not show any symptoms. Ophthalmologists search with the aid of the eye exam to find "silver wiring" (hardened arteries) or "cotton wool spots" (zones of retinal damage).
These results may show uncontrollable blood pressure and thus call for an immediate medical check-up. Eye checkups can help identify the occurrence of hypertension before its development into a stroke, heart attack, or damage to the kidneys because of the health of the vascular system, which is classically available in the eyes.
Regular eye check-ups are not important solely to adjust your frame's prescription. They are able to detect systemic diseases before they cause any irreversible damage. In case you experience a sudden vision change, floaters, or even unusual eye symptoms, do not hesitate to ask an ophthalmologist to look at this situation. Especially important are annual exams in people above 40, those with a family history of these disorders and those with such risk factors as smoking or obesity.
