Recently, a man just in his mid-30s visited for a routine eye exam. His vision seemed excellent, but when Dr. Christopher Olson, O.D., took a picture of the back of the man’s eye, something looked wrong.
The photo showed spots of bleeding in the back of the eye.
“I took his blood pressure and it was severely high,” Olson said. “It was borderline emergency room, it was that high.”
The young man was referred to his primary care provider for a physical and blood testing as soon as possible. Olson didn’t stop there, but followed up with the man later to make sure he was being taken care of. He informed Olson he had been to his doctor twice and diagnosed and being treated for both high blood pressure and diabetes.
“The young gentleman was very thankful for the detailed exam that likely prevented some very serious health complications and possibly saved his life,” Olson said.
The clinic features a machine that takes a picture of the back of the eye where potentially dangerous health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, glaucoma can be spotted by abnormal activities of veins and arteries.
“The back of the eye is the only part of the body where veins and arteries can be seen without undergoing surgery,” Olson said.
The eye photo can immediately be downloaded onto a nearby screen where staff and the patient can look at the results and discuss, if necessary, what further action can be taken. The photo can quickly be e-mailed to the patient’s doctor to provide clear evidence of the potential problem. Olson recommends people have their eyes checked at least once every two years, and once a year for those whose family history involved diabetes, high blood pressure or glaucoma.
“Even though your vision may be 20/20, you still may have other things going on that could be dangerous,” Olson said.
Olson resides in Council Bluffs, but was born and raised in Lincoln, Neb., where he graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. He then continued his education at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University in Philadelphia.