See the spots in front of your eyes? This could be a sign that you have high cholesterol

High cholesterol does not make itself felt for a long time. Quietly, however, it makes our body develop insidious diseases, such as atherosclerosis. We may also suffer from circulatory problems, stroke or heart attack. However, there are some inconspicuous signs that our cholesterol may be too high. One of them is floaters in the eye.

1. Usually, too high a cholesterol level does not cause any symptoms. It is therefore very easy to overlook it, which can lead to the development of, among others, atherosclerosis, diabetes and problems with the circulatory system.
2. One of the symptoms of too high cholesterol can be floaters in the eye. These are the spots that appear in our field of view
3. If vision problems worsen, you should consult your doctor
4. Fortunately, high cholesterol can be lowered without the help of drugs. Just change your eating habits
5. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Floaters and cholesterol levels

As we already mentioned, one of the symptoms of too high cholesterol can be floaters in the eye. How can this phenomenon be defined? «Floats are spots in your field of vision. They usually look like black or gray spots or cobwebs that drift when you move your eyes. They often appear at an advanced age. This is because the jelly-like substance in our eyes becomes more fluid, »explains Giles Edmonds, director of clinical services at Specsavers.

The expert also talked about a phenomenon called synchysis scintillans or bulbi cholesterolosis. This condition is that these floaters are made up of cholesterol crystals that leak from the blood vessels.

«If you notice more floaters than usual, flashes of light or darkness on either side of your vision, consult your doctor immediately. This could mean damage to the retina or an injury to the back of the eye. In some cases, it can also be a symptom of diabetic retinopathy or high cholesterol, ”Edmonds notes.

How to recognize floaters in the eye?

If you’re not sure if the changes in your eye are actually floaters, experts at the Mayo Clinic can tell you what you should pay attention to:

1. small shapes appear in your field of vision that look like dark spots or lumpy transparent strings of floating material
2. places that move when you move your eyes (they quickly move out of sight when you try to look at them)
3. places that are most visible when you look at a simple light background (such as a blue sky or a white wall)
4. tiny shapes or strings that eventually settle and drift out of sight.

How to lower high cholesterol?

The main way to lower too high cholesterol is to change your eating habits. First of all, we should eliminate fatty foods and products such as sausages, cheeses and sweets (including cakes and cookies) from our menu. It is in them that the most harmful to our health is saturated fat. It’s also a good idea to eliminate alcohol from our lives.

When it comes to products that should be included in our diet, they are definitely fatty fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, we should also use various types of nuts, products rich in fiber (e.g. groats, whole grain bread and pasta) and healthy vegetable oils, including olive oil.