Eye exams can detect diabetes. Diabetes causes a person to have high blood sugar levels. These high levels can cause damage to blood vessels, including those in the retina – the area at the back of the eye responsible for light reflection and sight. Continued damage to the retinal tissue will eventually lead to blurred vision or blindness, or diabetic retinopathy, if not caught early.

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Beyond diabetes and high blood pressure, there are other conditions an eye exam can detect, such as thyroid eye disease and malignant eye melanoma. And because some eye diseases don’t immediately affect your vision, it’s important for everyone to have an annual eye exam, regardless of whether or not you need vision correction.