Eye tests are routine for spectacle wearers yet, according to experts, as many as one in five of us have a health problem not related to the eye that could be diagnosed by a High Street optician.
Here Dr Susan Blakeney of the College of Optometrists, reveals the most common non-eye-related conditions that can easily be spotted during a 30-minute eye examination - which can cost as little as £17. In each case, patients would be immediately referred to their GP.
HYPERTENSION
What is it? Also known as high blood pressure, this condition puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels, increasing risk of heart attack or stroke.
How the optician picks it up: High blood pressure causes damage to the blood vessels in the retina. The optician will see nipping to the blood vessels where they cross each other or haemorrhage in the retina at the back of the eye.
HIGH CHOLESTEROL
What is it? Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood which can increase your risk of heart attack.
How the optician picks it up: Bits of cholesterol can break away from deposits in the body and lodge in the blood vessels of the retina. The optician will see tiny yellowish blockages in the arterial vessels. There may also be a visible thin white line circling the coloured part of the eye - the iris - due to cholesterol deposits in the eye.
BRAIN TUMOR
What is it? Tumors are tissue growths that can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign).
How the optician picks it up: Swelling of the optic nerve can be a possible sign of brain tumor.
THYROID DISEASE
What is it? The thyroid gland in the neck produces hormones that regulate metabolism. Disease can cause it to make too much or too little, resulting in problems.
How the optician picks it up: An optician can notice bulging or protruding eyeballs - a symptom of thyroid disease.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
(MS) What is it? MS is a neurological disability which can cause a range of symptoms from fatigue to memory problems.
How the optician picks it up: There will be swelling of the optic nerve, blurred vision and sensitivity to light.
DIABETES
What is it? Diabetes is caused by having too much sugar in the blood which can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
How the optician picks it up: High blood-sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina, causing leaks of blood and fatty deposits.
STROKE
What is it? A stroke is caused by either a blockage or a bleed in the brain - patients may have a series of minor strokes without noticing before suffering a major one that can result in paralysis or death.
How the optician picks it up: The eye exam will reveal tiny clots or particles of cholesterol moving through the blood vessels in the retina during an eye examination, which can indicate that a person may have already had a stroke.
source: dailymail
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