Why you should keep an eye on eye health

A window to health

They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but it might be more accurate to say that the retina — a small patch of tissue at the back of the eye — is the window to overall health. Conditions such as high blood pressure, some cardiovascular diseases and diabetes may all be detected early through an eye exam.

“The retina is the only part of the body where we can see your blood vessels without doing anything invasive, so it’s a direct insight into your circulatory conditions,” says Patel.

“So, if you do have raised blood pressure or raised cholesterol, we’ll see changes in your retina over time. We have an OCT. (optical coherence tomography) scan that we use on every patient, and it allows us to visualise and track changes over time.”

An eye test at Specsavers includes a 3D retinal scan at no extra cost, giving the optometrist a more holistic view of health. And, eye tests are free to everyone with a valid Medicare card.

“These 3D retinal scans are not something that we can claim rebate from Medicare, but we choose to do them at no charge on every patient just because it does help to detect eye conditions early,” says Patel. “The consultation is free and accessible seven days a week, so you don’t need to take time off work.”

A boost for productivity

The current cost of living crisis has placed a renewed focus on performance in the workplace, with new research from insights consultancy Nature showing 40 per cent of Australian adults have taken extra work hours or sought part-time work; this rises to 61 per cent among those aged 18 to 34.

With more people seeking to work extra hours to make ends meet, Patel underscores the importance of eye tests to stay focused and efficient at work. When reading starts to become slower or more laboured, she says, workplace performance can suffer.

“We’re having to work harder to do the same level of work. If you can preserve your vision, you’re preserving your quality of life and your ability to be in the workforce for longer. I always say you can’t put a price on health, but there are certain senses that you certainly can’t afford to lose. Sight is, in my opinion, one of the most important senses to preserve.”

If you’re worried about health check costs, Specsavers offers bulk-billed eye health checks to everyone with a valid Medicare card, including optional payment plans should glasses be needed.

If you have noticed changes to your eyes, book an appointment with an Optometrist