Eyes: The Window To Your Brain

By Marc Cohen, natural medicine expert.

Q:

Iridology aside, what can your eyes tell you about your health?

A:

Never mind the soul, the eyes may be the windows to your brain health. Your eyes connect to your brain through the optic nerve, and for many years, doctors have used ophthalmoscopes to monitor a range of diseases in this area. But now, a new imaging technology, optical coherence tomography (OCT), can produce 3-D images of the optic nerve (no special glasses required!). Such pictures are likely to become standard diagnostic tools, as clinicians can use them to inexpensively and non-invasively track neurodegenerative conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. OCT can also locate and monitor brain tumours.

And that’s not all. The eyes offer clues to our emotional state, too. Researchers have found that the muscles around the outer eye can help people distinguish between real and fake smiles, and thereby aid in determining how someone is genuinely feeling. An authentic smile involves both the mouth and the eyes—the corners of the mouth curl upwards, and the corners of the eyes crinkle. Fake smiles don’t involve the eyes and are akin to the expression monkeys make when they’re scared. Research also shows that real smiles may be good predictors of future health and happiness. So quit monkeying around and smile! It may also brighten your outlook on life.

See also: Eating for healthy eyes

Marc Cohen is a medical practitioner with PhDs in Chinese medicine and biomedical engineering. He is professor of complementary medicine at RMIT University (Melbourne), where he leads the online Master of Wellness program.