10 Surprising Conditions You Can Get In Your Eyes

Shingles, herpes, chlamydia, and more unexpected health problems can plague your peepers.

The intricate spheres of your eyes possess the remarkable ability to divulge significant insights into your overall well-being, far beyond what you might have realized. They serve as a revealing portal to an array of infections, chronic ailments, and even forms of cancer.

It’s fascinating to note that ocular swelling can occasionally be a manifestation of an underlying gastrointestinal issue. Furthermore, instances of blurred vision can serve as an indicator of fluctuating blood sugar levels.

Certain conditions directly impact the eye as a result of direct contact with bodily fluids, while others disseminate throughout the ocular system via the bloodstream or nerves.

Should you neglect to allocate time for comprehensive and dilated eye examinations, you’re inadvertently forfeiting a critical opportunity to safeguard your visual health and preemptively counteract potentially grave medical conditions.

“The swifter we identify these interconnected concerns, which might extend beyond mere ocular involvement, the more favorably an individual’s overall health can be preserved,” affirms Laurie Barber, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

Outlined below are several commonplace and less conventional ailments that have the potential to manifest within the realm of your eyes.

Melanoma

Conducting a thorough assessment of your entire body to monitor moles that exhibit alterations in size, shape, color, and texture can prove invaluable in detecting and addressing this aggressive form of skin cancer during its treatable stages. However, it’s crucial to underscore the significance of undergoing eye examinations as well.

Melanoma can initiate its development within the eyes either as a primary cancer or as a secondary cancer that has spread from another region of the body.

Although it can infiltrate any portion of the ocular structure, it frequently originates in the choroid—a layer comprised of blood vessels and tissue situated between the white of the eye and the retina at the back. Eye melanoma possesses the potential to induce changes in vision, although it’s not uncommon for individuals to remain asymptomatic until the cancer reaches an advanced stage.

Primary melanoma stands as the predominant form of ocular cancer; nonetheless, attempting to identify it through self-examination is insufficient. Dr. Barber, an ophthalmologist affiliated with the Little Rock Eye Clinic, underscores the necessity of a dilated eye examination to accurately diagnose this condition.

Inflammatory bowel disease

If you’re grappling with gastrointestinal concerns, it’s highly recommended to prioritize an annual eye examination. A substantial portion, approximately 10%, of individuals dealing with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encounter ocular complications, as reported by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

One frequently observed complication of IBD is uveitis, characterized by inflammation of the intermediate layer of the eye’s wall. This condition can trigger discomfort, visual blurriness, heightened sensitivity to light, and reddening of the eye.

Additionally, certain individuals diagnosed with Crohn’s disease might develop keratopathy, a condition impacting the cornea.

Herpes

The herpes simplex virus is commonly recognized for its role in generating cold sores on the lips and blister-like eruptions in the genital region. However, it possesses the capability to induce eye infections as well.

The virus typically infiltrates the eye through direct contact, often stemming from contact with an exposed sore—either your own or someone else’s—followed by touching the eye. Subsequently, the virus can lie dormant within the eye until reactivated by various triggers such as exposure to sunlight, heightened stress levels, or surgical procedures.

According to Dr. Barber, lesions caused by the herpes simplex virus affecting the eye or eyelids are frequently accompanied by pain. In cases where the cornea is infected, one might experience intense pain, redness of the eye, swelling of the eyelid, and diminished vision. The virus has the potential to inflame and scar the retina or even lead to its detachment from the rear of the eye, culminating in vision impairment and, in severe cases, blindness.

Other sexually transmitted diseases

The recorded instances of chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea are displaying an upward trajectory, and it’s important to acknowledge that each of these sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has the potential to affect the eyes. This serves as a compelling reminder to prioritize safe sexual practices.

Gonorrhea and chlamydia can infiltrate the eyes through direct contact with bodily fluids, a significant reason to underscore the importance of practicing safe sex. Both of these infections have the potential to manifest as a severe case of conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pink eye.

In contrast, syphilis takes a different route by disseminating through the bloodstream. Dr. Amesh Adalja, a spokesperson for the Infectious Disease Society of America and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, highlights that the eye is among the potential locations where syphilis can spread.

As indicated by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), syphilis can induce eye inflammation, leading to discomfort, pain, and issues with vision.

Toxoplasmosis

This brain and eye infection stems from a minuscule parasite. Contracting it typically occurs through the consumption of undercooked or contaminated meat, as well as through the handling of cat feces, followed by contact with the mouth.

A substantial proportion of individuals remain asymptomatic due to their immune systems effectively combating the infection.

According to Dr. Adalja, who is also an infectious disease physician, noticeable consequences might not manifest until an individual’s immune system becomes compromised, at which point the infection can reactivate.

Individuals with conditions such as HIV or cancer, along with infants born to mothers who contracted the infection during pregnancy, face an elevated risk of encountering vision-related complications due to toxoplasmosis.

Zika virus

The majority of individuals afflicted by this illness, transmitted via mosquitoes, exhibit no discernible symptoms. On the rare occasion when symptoms do emerge, they generally manifest as a mild fever, rash, headache, joint discomfort, muscle ache, and notably, watery, red eyes.

Dr. Adalja clarifies that the virus gains entry into the bloodstream, subsequently disseminating to various organs, including the eyes.

Remarkably, contracting Zika doesn’t exclusively depend on mosquito bites. The virus can be transmitted from an infected individual to a healthy person through sexual contact or, potentially, via a blood transfusion. In cases where Zika is transmitted from a pregnant woman to her unborn fetus, the virus has the potential to inflict severe birth defects, including vision-related issues.

Diabetes

Unregulated diabetes can exert its detrimental impact on an array of bodily systems, encompassing the heart, blood vessels, nerves, kidneys, skin, brain, and indeed, the eyes.

One prime illustration is diabetic retinopathy, which inflicts harm upon the fragile blood vessels situated at the rear of the eye. Initially, this condition might not trigger any apparent eye-related symptoms; however, over time, it can engender phenomena known as “floaters” within one’s visual field or even lead to vision blurriness. Notably, diabetic retinopathy stands as the primary cause of adult blindness in the United States, as highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Barber underscores the profound impact of eye examinations in diabetes management, recounting instances where diabetes diagnoses were unveiled through ocular findings, unbeknownst to the affected individuals themselves.

Kidney disease

Though unconventional, it’s a fact that individuals grappling with chronic kidney disease are confronted with an elevated susceptibility to the emergence of debilitating eye disorders.

This seemingly unusual correlation can be attributed to shared risk factors between the kidneys and eyes, encompassing conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Additionally, parallel pathways of diseases come into play, notably involving inflammation and the constriction and hardening of arteries.

Recalling a telling case, Dr. Barber recounts an encounter with a 17-year-old patient who exhibited pronounced “nicking changes” within her eyes. This term signifies a scenario where the primary artery that delivers blood to the retina appears to “bite into” the vein. The intriguing revelation was that the young patient was grappling with renal artery stenosis—an ailment characterized by the constriction of arteries that supply blood to the kidneys.

Stroke

Ischemic stroke, the prevalent form of stroke, arises due to a blood clot within the brain. Yet, it might come as a surprise that a similar stroke can transpire within the eye.

This distinctive form of stroke transpires when an artery in the eye becomes obstructed by either a blood clot or an accumulation of fatty plaque. Consequently, the blood supply to the retina is disrupted.

Referred to as an eye stroke or retinal artery occlusion, this occurrence can trigger sudden or gradual vision impairment, often devoid of any discomfort, as highlighted by Dr. Barber. Regrettably, certain instances might culminate in permanent vision loss.

Shingles

If you encountered chickenpox during your childhood, the varicella zoster virus remains dormant within your system. However, as you enter adulthood, this virus can resurface, typically manifesting as a painful rash known as shingles, often encircling the torso.

“It’s not a result of any actions on your part. Rather, it’s the virus reactivating and emerging,” clarifies Dr. Barber.

On certain occasions, when the virus infiltrates a nerve proximate to the eye, it can trigger symptoms like swelling of the eyelid, redness in the eye, a burning sensation, and progressively severe impairment that could potentially culminate in loss of vision. This condition is termed herpes zoster ophthalmicus. If a shingles rash emerges around your eye, it’s crucial to promptly seek consultation with an eye specialist.