Eye tests: A window to your heart health

It's amazing what you can find out about a person by looking in their eyes.

Did you know that a routine eye examination could reveal you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol (both risk factors for heart disease)?

Find out how getting your eyes checked could save your life.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in Australia.¹ Known as the silent killer, you could be living with heart disease for years before experiencing any symptoms. This often means that the disease is advanced by the time it's discovered.

While your GP can measure your heart disease risk with a heart health check, they aren't the only health professional who can help you support your heart health.

Head optometrist at Bupa Optical and Hearing, Karen Makin, says a routine eye exam is another way to assess your overall health, including what's happening in your heart. "By looking at someone's eyes, things as serious as some cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol may all be uncovered."

Your eyes are the window to your soul, as the saying goes, but they can also reveal a lot about your heart health, says Makin.

"In the case of heart health, we can see indications of high blood pressure if the blood vessels exhibit specific changes. If blood vessels are leaking or haemorrhaging, that can be a sign of systemic disease. I've seen people, who are quite young, with a white ring developing towards the outer edge of the coloured part of the eye, which is typical of high cholesterol."

Bupa also offers an opt-in test using artificial intelligence (AI) and a photo of the retina of your eye, says Ms Makin.

"In particular relation to cardiovascular disease, we offer an opt-in test for people aged 40 to 80 where we use the retinal photos taken during a routine examination. We upload those photos into an AI algorithm called a Microvascular Health Assessment. This produces a rating of the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 5 years, with rates measured as high, medium or low risk. With this information we can make recommendations about if you need to see your GP and get further tests or support."

The global recommendation for eye tests for healthy adults is once every 2 years, although Makin says you or your optometrist might suggest an annual test is better.

"If you have any chronic health issues, such as diabetes, or a family history of glaucoma, your optometrist may say once a year is preferable. Age is a risk factor for many eye conditions and health issues including heart disease, so after the age of 40 I'd suggest getting a routine eye check every year or so."