A new ocular test at the optician could detect the first signs of dementia

Can an eye test indicate dementia?

Unfortunately, more and more people are suffering from dementia today. Doctors are looking for ways to diagnose the disease effectively and early. The researchers have now discovered that a simple eye test that can be performed by optometrists can predict the risk of developing dementia.

Researchers at University College London found in their recent study that an eye test was likely to cause cancer. The genesis of dementia can be determined. The doctors published the results of their study in the English-language journal "JAMA Neurology".

What was the purpose of the initial visual test?

The ocular test is usually performed to detect the first signs of ocular disease by exposing the posterior region of the eye (retina). ) badyzed. Scientists have now found that people with a thinner retina tend to have problems with memory and reasoning. The researchers believe that the test could be used for the early detection of dementia

32,000 participants were studied

In the study, parts of the retina and especially the retinal nerve fiber layer ( RNFL) in 32,000 subjects, explain the doctors. Participants were aged 40 to 69 years old. Memory, response time and reasoning skills were also studied

Signs of dementia in the thin retinal nerve fiber layer

Scientists found that subjects with the most retinal nerve fiber layer fine were more likely to fail at one or more tests. These participants also had a double chance of getting a lower score in the follow-up exams over the next three years. Memory loss, difficulty performing known tasks, and other forms of cognitive decline may be early symptoms of dementia. According to the author of the study, Professor Paul Foster of University College London, OCT tests could help identify people at high risk of developing the disease.

Advantages of OCT Tests

A link between retinal deterioration and optic nerve and dementia was already known. The researchers explain that such changes could be detected with OCT tests even in the early stages of cognitive decline. Weakening of the retina could reflect changes in the blood vessels in the brain, which play a role in the onset of the disease, experts add. Another benefit of OCT testing is that it provides a relatively inexpensive and non-invasive method for dementia screening.

More research is needed

While a diagnosis of dementia is still based on the results of a number of different tests If further studies are to determine in how far can OCT tests identify people most at risk for cognitive impairment in the general population, the doctors explain.