Detecting Alzheimer’s disease in the Retina

Overview

Many people with neurodegenerative diseases have problems with their vision. The eye and the brain contain many of the same types of cells and tissues which means that they degenerate in a similar way. Numerous studies have shown that changes occur in the eyes of patients a number of years prior to the brain showing any signs of change.

Researchers from Moorfields would like to analyse a database of over 2 million eye scans in order to try and identify features in eye scans, which are common to people who have developed a neurodegenerative disease.

The research aims to create a better understanding of why people with neurodegenerative diseases have problems with their vision. They also hope to look for patterns in the eye scans to see how the eye changes as neurodegenerative diseases progress.