Eye Test May Lead to Faster Alzheimer's Diagnosis

A study of more than 200 people published in Ophthalmology Retina found significantly decreased blood vessel density in the retina could be a biomarker for Alzheimer's, reports CBS New York . "These changes happening in the retina of the eye may actually mirror the blood vessel changes happening in the brain of individual's with Alzheimer's disease," suggests Duke Eye Center's Sharon Fekrat. Thanks to these findings, scientists can know when the eye changes begin and whether they might be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's. This would enable doctors to test drugs much earlier in the progression of the disease, when the medications have a better chance of slowing or stopping the cognitive deterioration.