National Eye Care Day丨Beware of the "heart disease" behind your eyes

June 6th is National Eye Care Day. Eyes are one of the most important ways for us to experience the world and should be carefully protected.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, they can express a person's inner emotions, happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy can all be seen from the eyes. Modern research has found that eyes can not only reflect moods, but also some "heart diseases" cannot be hidden from the eyes.

Today we will take you to understand the "heart disease" behind the eyes - xanthomas.

Xanthomas are yellow tumors that grow above the inner corner of the eye, are often symmetrically distributed in both eyes, and sometimes resemble a butterfly. They are more common in patients with hyperlipidemia.

As people's living standards have improved, their living habits have also changed significantly. Eating more and exercising less has caused many people to gradually develop three highs, four highs, or even five highs, namely high blood lipids, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high uric acid, and high homocysteine. Some patients with high blood lipids may develop xanthomas.

Xanthanoma can affect appearance, and many patients will go to the dermatology department for treatment, but if the following conditions occur, don’t forget to check your blood lipids.

1. Corneal arcus. This is a gray or yellow turbid area on the cornea near the edge of the cornea, with a width of about 1-1.5mm, often appearing at the upper and lower edges of the cornea. Corneal arcus is also formed by lipid components deposited in the matrix around the cornea. On the one hand, it is related to age, and on the other hand, it is also related to high blood lipids.

2. Blurred vision. There are many reasons for blurred vision, including myopia, presbyopia, and overuse of the eyes.

We need to remind you that if you have vision loss, in addition to going to the eye doctor for a checkup, don't forget to measure the "three highs". High blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids can damage blood vessels, especially the fundus, which is extremely rich in blood vessels. Long-term three highs will cause lesions in the retinal arteries of the fundus, causing spasms, hardening, and stenosis, which will directly affect vision.

3. Sudden blindness. Blindness is one of the most serious eye diseases, and severe stenosis or even occlusion of the retinal artery is one of the common causes.

Many patients also experience visual field defects. They can see things in front of them, but some of their senses are blocked. This may be caused by cerebrovascular disease damaging the optic nerve, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular examinations are also required.

4. Swollen eyelids. Many people may have experienced swollen upper and lower eyelids. If it is physiological edema caused by drinking too much water before going to bed or crying, it will generally resolve on its own; but if the edema lasts for a long time and is accompanied by lower limb edema, shortness of breath or even difficulty breathing, you must check your heart and kidneys, because heart and kidney dysfunction may also cause eyelid edema.

In addition to the above heart diseases related to the eyes, some patients also ask if the horizontal lines between their eyebrows are a sign of heart disease. It is true that some patients with heart disease will have horizontal lines between their eyebrows or wrinkles on their earlobes, but heart disease cannot be diagnosed based on these surface signs. If related symptoms occur, you should go to the cardiology department for examination and treatment in a timely manner.

On National Eye Care Day, I would like to remind you that while taking care of your eyes, don’t forget to take care of your heart. I wish you a clear mind and bright eyes.

Author: Li Yan: Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Cardiology, Oriental Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Scientific review: Yan Yan, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Oriental Hospital

Editor: Wu Yuetong and Xie Yun