Did you know that your eyes are warning you if… See more

Eyes aren’t just the window to your soul — they also offer a glimpse into your health. Changes in your eyes can signal vision problems, diabetes, stress, even retinal detachment. What’s more, most of these you can actually see for yourself — assuming you know what to look for. We spoke to Natasha Herz, M.D., clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, about what your eyes reveal about your health, and how you know it’s time to visit your doctor.

1
You could have an infection.
Do you wear contact lenses instead of glasses? Watch out for white spots on your cornea (that clear layer over the front of your eyeball). This is “quite common among people who wear contact lenses,” Dr. Herz says, and can be a sign of a corneal infection.

2
You’re too stressed.
Stress can manifest in many ways, one of which is an eye twitch. It’s more annoying than concerning, but it can be a sign you need to get some more rest and manage your stress levels a bit more, Herz says.

3
You could have diabetes.
Blurred vision usually means you need glasses — but you should have your eyes checked no matter what. Not only can blurred vision signal a medical problem with the eye itself (like cataracts or macular degeneration), it can also be a sign of a more serious illness like diabetes. In fact, an August 2014 study found that 73% of diabetic patients sampled reported blurred vision. Even without trouble seeing, your ophthalmologist may be able to detect diabetes during an eye exam based on irregularities in your retina.