5 Surprising Conditions You Can Get In Your Eyes - Article Health

Shingles, herpes, chlamydia, and more unexpected health problem

Those lovely orbs of yours reveal more about your overall health than you might suspect. They offer a window on all sorts of infections, chronic diseases, and even cancers.

Did you know that swelling in the eye could be a complication of a gut issue? Or that blurry vision is sometimes a sign that your blood sugar is out of whack?

Some conditions directly infect the eye through contact with body fluids, for example, while others travel systemically to the eyes via the blood or nerves.

If you rarely make time for a thorough, dilated eye exam, you’re missing out on a crucial opportunity to save your vision and stave off potentially serious illnesses.

“The quicker we catch these things that may not be just isolated to the eye, the better the patient’s health can be,” says Laurie Barber, MD, a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

Melanoma
Performing a full-body check for moles that morph in size, shape, color, and texture can help you catch this aggressive skin cancer while it’s treatable. But don’t forget to have your eyes examined, too.

Inflammatory bowel disease
If you have gut issues, definitely go for an annual eye exam. About 10% of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience eye problems, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

Herpes
The herpes simplex virus is better known for causing cold sores on your lips and blistery bumps on your genitals. But it can also cause an eye infection.

Other sexually transmitted diseases
Reported cases of chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea are on the rise, and each of these STDs can get in your eyes. All the more reason to practice safe sex!

You can get gonorrhea or chlamydia in your eyes through direct contact with body fluids. Each can give you a mean case of pink eye.


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