How does ophthalmology relate to a patient’s overall health?

For many patients with chronic diseases, symptoms often manifest in the eyes. I can often gauge a patient’s overall health by the conditions I find present when I examine their eyes. For instance, hypertension can damage the retina, a condition called hypertensive retinopathy. The best treatment for this condition is to effectively control high blood pressure. In some cases, patients may require blood pressure medications but for others high blood pressure can be easier to manage by making healthy lifestyle changes.