Optician's Eye Test 'Could Spot Early Dementia Signs'

A study published in JAMA Neurology found an eye test conducted by opticians might help predict dementia risk, reports BBC News . The test involves examining tissue in the retina, usually for signs of eye disease, and the researchers suggest the retina's thinness can be correlated with a person's likelihood of developing memory and reasoning problems. The team measured parts of the retina of 32,000 people, particularly the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Participants, who were between 40 and 69 years old, also were assessed on their memory, reaction time, and reasoning. Those with the thinnest RNFLs were more likely to fail one or more of the evaluations, and twice as likely to score poorer in follow-up assessments over the next three years. University College London Professor Paul Foster suggests OCT tests could help identify people at high risk of developing dementia. "It is likely that treatments will be more effective in slowing or stopping dementia at earlier stages of the disease," he notes. "Also, by targeting people in the earlier stages, it should be possible to design better clinical trials for treatments that make a real difference and improve people's lives."