Poets often reflect that eyes are a window to the soul. I was surprised to learn from Dr. Kimberly Stepien that our eyes are, literally, a window to our heart.

Dr. Stepien, an ophthalmologist with the Eye Institute at the Medical College of Wisconsin, explained that our eyes are one of the few organs in our body through which physicans can directly view blood vessels. As part of our brain’s cardiovascular system, the blood vessels of the eye can provide an important glimpse into our overall cardiovascular health. In fact, our eye doctor might see signs of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular or systemic diseases before we even experience symptoms.

What does this mean for women? Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death and disability among women across all ethnic groups in our state. If we can catch it early and treat it – or, ideally, prevent it – we can save lives.

We don’t go to the eye doctor for cardiovascular check-ups, but research indicates a strong correlation between retinal blood vessels and cardiovascular health. Changes in the retina due to cardiovascular disease are especially common among people with diabetes and older patients. Even the smallest changes in the retinal blood vessels, Dr. Stepien told me, could indicate high blood pressure or other vascular abnormalities, and also systemic diseases such as diabetes, AIDS, lupus or sarcoidosis (inflammation that produces tiny lumps of cells in various organs in your body). Dr. Stepien said eye physicians sometimes are the first to diagnose a patient with underlying vascular issues because the patient notices vision symptoms before any other symptoms occur. Sometimes, though, patients have no symptoms whatsoever.

Dr. Stepien occasionally sees patients with small cholesterol particles in the retinal arteries. These particles can indicate vascular disease and significant blockage of blood vessels in other parts of the body. These cholesterol particles often break off from plaque built up along the carotid artery.

“If a blood vessel in the eye has plaque or is blocked, blood vessels in the heart or in the brain may also be blocked. This is a major risk factor for heart attack or stroke, so catching these changes as soon as possible is important,” Dr. Stepien said. “When I see something in the eye that could indicate cardiovascular or systemic disease, I discuss it with my patient and contact her primary care physician for the necessary follow-up.”

Healthy vision, healthy heart

Just as the risks are similar, prevention of eye disease is similar to prevention of cardiovascular disease. When blood pressure and cholesterol are under control, the chances of eye disease due to these factors decrease dramatically. Essentially, what is good for your heart is good for your eyes.

To learn more about WWHF, visit www.wwhf.org or call 1-800-448-5148.