A gentleman came into our clinic recently holding a lovely flower arrangement. He gave it to me, his optometrist, saying “I want to thank you for probably saving my life”.
The backstory is that during this gentleman’s routine eye exam, I had noted some signs in his ocular health assessment that made me concerned that one of his carotid arteries could be partially blocked. The carotid arteries are a major pathway of blood from the heart to the brain and the eyes. I referred him to see his family doctor soon after, and it turned out that one of his carotid arteries was indeed over 90% blocked, putting him at high risk for a major stroke. He had a stent put in and this preventative measure may well have, as he said, saved his life.
The receiving thanks from this gentleman made my day, and it reaffirms the passion and commitment I have for being an eye doctor. I often hear people say that they don’t go for an eye examination because they have no problems with their vision. And while much of my job involves assessing vision and prescribing corrective lenses, I also do a thorough assessment of eye health and its connection to our overall health. I have diagnosed brain tumours, cancers of the eye, diabetes, high cholesterol, and life-threatening high blood pressure, all in people with no remarkable vision problems or symptoms.
The eyes are an important window into our overall health, and routine eye examinations with a Doctor of Optometry should be part of our regular preventative health maintenance plan. Call for your appointment today!