The Doctors TV Show spoke about Health Secrets Your Face Reveals today. Did you know that your eyes are a window to your health – not just to your soul? The Drs said that there are health secrets your eyes can reveal. Elise Brisco, O.D. Optometrist, spoke about eye conditions including, Red Eye, Pink Eye, Conjunctivitis, and Cholesterol Deposits in the eye.
The Drs TV Show: Red Eyes
Red Eyes can be a sign that you had a long day at work or did not get enough sleep, but Chronic Red Eye can be the sign of something much more serious. Elise 
Brisco said that there is more to an eye doctor than just getting contact lenses or eyeglasses. Your eyes reveal a lot about your overall health. Red Eye could mean something is wrong with you, so just putting in eye drops is not always the solution. If your eyes are persistently red, Brisco said it could be the sign of an eye infection from old makeup. You should change your eye liner and mascara every six months. And never share makeup with anyone! Brisco also said not to keep your makeup in your pocket, purse or in the car because the heat can kill the preservatives that keep bacteria from growing.
Dr Travis Stork said that if you use eyedrops too much, you can have a rebound effect and when you stop using them your eyes have become too used to them. Elise Brisco said that she sees this often with celebrities who use eyedrops to make their eyes appear more white in front of the camera, but this can lead to other problems. If your eyes are red for more than three days, then see your eye doctor.
The Doctors: Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye
Dr Jim Sears said that about 10% of kids will get Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye at some point. But how can you tell the difference between Pink Eye and dry, crust “Eye Buggers?” Dr Sears said that Eye Buggers are just solidified tears that get crusty in the morning, but that it is ok if your eyes are not red and if you wipe it away it does not come back until the next day. With Pink Eye or Conjunctivitis, there is much more eye goop and it is thicker and more yellowish or greenish, plus there will be some redness in the whites of the eyes. If you wipe away this eye gunk, it comes back an hour later. Pink Eye is very contagious, so Elise Brisco said that if one child in school gets it, then several classmates usually get it, parents get it and even pets can catch it. So it is very important to keep your child home if he or she has Pink Eye or Conjunctivitis.
To minimize your chance of getting Pink Eye, teach your kids not to wipe their eyes after wiping their nose, and wear swimming goggles when you go swimming in the pool. If you get Pink Eye and your doctor gives you Antibiotic Eye Drops, make sure to take the full 7 days of the eyedrops even if your eyes start feeling better, because otherwise it can come back stronger and will be resistant to antibiotics. Dr Jim Sears said that it is also nice to apply a warm compress over the eye area to help with swelling. If you have Red Eyes or Conjunctivitis, you should remove your contact lenses and switch over to wearing glasses instead. And Elise Brisco said that if you have redness in just one area of your eye instead of the entire eye, this could be a sign of a whole slew of things including Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis or even Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
The Drs: Cholesterol Deposits In The Eye
If you eat a fatty diet, the cholesterol from your food can build up in your blood stream. Those same blood vessels go to your eye so you can actually get cholesterol deposits in your eye which will look like a ring around your eye. This could be a sign that you need your blood cholesterol checked and you might need a new exercise and diet plan – or your might even need medication. Elise Brisco said that if you have Cholesterol Deposits in just one eye, this could mean you have an Arterial Blockage in the other eye, which puts you at a high risk of having a stroke. You can also get cholesterol deposits under your eyelid, but this may or may not be a sign of high cholesterol. These Eyelid Cholesterol Deposits do not wipe away – they are there to stay.
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