Your eyes are not just a "window to your soul," but a great indicator of your overall health. There are many diseases and conditions that can be first detected by your optometrist through an eye examination. Here are eight conditions that can affect your eyes. 

1. Grave's disease. One of the first symptoms of Grave's disease is bug eyes. The condition is the result of your thyroid overproducing hormones. In addition to bug eyes, you might also experience nervousness and weight loss. 
2. Sebaceous gland carcinoma. Styes are worrisome, but they usually go away within a few months. If you have a stye that persists beyond this period, it is possible you have a rare form of cancer known as sebaceous gland carcinoma. 
3. High cholesterol. When your cholesterol levels are high, your eyes might develop a grayish ring around the cornea. If you have this ring, it is important to see your doctor. High cholesterol places you at a higher risk of a heart attack or stroke. 
4. Aneurysm. An aneurysm is difficult to detect before it occurs. However, your eyes might give an early indication that you are going to experience an aneurysm. Blurry vision, loss of vision, and eye pain are some of the earliest warning signs of an aneurysm. 
5. Multiple sclerosis. If you are having eye tics, you might dismiss them as being stress-related. Although this is a possibility, it could also be a sign that you have a neurological disease such as multiple sclerosis. It could also be Parkinson's disease. 
6. Myasthenia gravis. When your eyelids droop, it could be a sign that you have myasthenia gravis. The autoimmune disease can result in muscle weakness and even prove fatal if you do not receive proper treatment. 
7. Horner's syndrome. Droopy eyelids combined with pupils of differing sizes could be a sign that you have Horner's syndrome. The disease can lead to tumors in your neck and cause brain aneurysms. 
8. Diabetes. When your optometrist examines your eyes, he or she might notice yellowish deposits in your retinas. This is a sign that your blood sugar levels are out of control and you possibly have diabetes. 

Early detection of many of these diseases can lead to proper treatment and a full recovery. However, if you do not receive treatment, you could suffer from a wide range of problems including loss of vision. If you are having any other eye-related symptoms contact an optometrist, like those at Family Eyecare Center, immediately for an examination.