What do your eyes reveal about your health?

Your eyes aren't just windows to your soul - they're also a window into your health. Changes in your eyes can signal vision problems, diabetes, stress, and even retinal detachment.

What’s more, most of you can actually see these signs yourself if you know what to look for. Here are some health issues you can “ask” your eyes about.

Infection

If you wear contact lenses instead of glasses, watch for white spots on your cornea (the clear layer at the front of your eye). These white spots are common in contact lens wearers, and can be a sign of a corneal infection.

Stress

Stress can manifest itself in many ways, one of which is eye twitching. This condition is more annoying than worrying, but it can be a sign that you need to get more rest and manage your stress levels a little more.

Diabetes

Blurry vision usually means you need glasses – but you should get your eyes checked no matter what the problem is. Blurry vision can not only be a sign of an eye condition (like cataracts or macular degeneration), it can also be a sign of a more serious condition like diabetes.

In fact, an August 2014 study found that 73 percent of people with diabetes reported blurred vision. Even if you don't have any vision problems, your ophthalmologist can detect diabetes during an eye exam based on abnormalities in the retina.

High cholesterol

If you notice a white ring forming around the black part of your eye (medically known as the iris), it may be time to get it checked out by your ophthalmologist and your GP. While this particular colour change is often a sign of ageing, it can also be a sign of high cholesterol and triglycerides – which can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.

High blood pressure

In addition to increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke, untreated high blood pressure can also damage the blood vessels in your retina, a condition called hypertensive retinopathy. You can't see the effects in a mirror, but your doctor can spot these spots of damage during an eye exam—yet another reason to get annual checkups, since treating high blood pressure early can literally save your life.

Allergy

If your eyes are very dry and the skin around them feels a little scratchy, you may be rubbing your eyes too often. Rubbing your eyes too hard or too often can cause your eyelids to become loose, droopy, and even saggy.

If your eyelids droop, it not only causes wrinkles, but it also increases your eye's exposure to air, causing your eyes to become too dry. One of the most common culprits for itchy eyes is seasonal allergies.

Retinal disease

Do you sometimes see dark spots that move across your eyes? These are called “floaters,” and while they’re common, they shouldn’t be ignored. A sudden increase in the number of “floaters” you see could be a sign of a retinal tear or detachment.

Lack of sleep

If you notice puffy, red eyes, don't assume you have an eye infection. It could just be a sign that you're tired. In addition to eye twitching, lack of sleep can cause irritated, red eyes.

Too much sun exposure

Some people develop a yellowish patch or bulge on the white of their eye next to the iris, called a pinguecula. A small percentage of these are precancerous, but usually they are not.

The cause? They're most commonly seen in people who spend a lot of time in the sun and resemble scar tissue on the skin. But a December 2013 study looked at the effects of UV light on the eyes and found that wearing special sunglasses can protect against sun damage, so talk to your eye doctor if you start to see them.

Jaundice

If the whites of your eyes are yellow like old paper, then it is definitely a warning sign that something is wrong in your body.

The prime suspects? Jaundice, a condition that occurs when there is too much bilirubin—a yellow substance formed from the breakdown of red blood cells—in the blood. If the liver can’t filter the cells, bilirubin builds up and can cause the eyes and skin to turn yellow. The condition is rare in adults (some babies are born with jaundice), but is most often caused by infections like hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, or blockages in the bile ducts, such as gallstones or cancer.

Sitting at the computer too much

Too much computer use can cause eye strain and watery eyes. Ironically, watery eyes are a symptom of dry eyes, which is the eye's response to over-drying. This is common in people who spend a lot of time looking at a computer or TV screen.

Eye strain

Broken blood vessels can look scary, but most of the time they're simply a sign that your eyes are working too hard. The most common cause is coughing or straining. While they're bloodshot and creepy, they're harmless and not a sign of eye disease."

According to Dantri