Scottish researchers are developing an AI tool that could help opticians spot early signs of dementia through simple eye tests.
The retina, located at the back of the eye, can provide clues about brain health. Using AI, scientists can analyze eye scans to detect signs of diseases like dementia before symptoms appear.
The NeurEYE research team, led by the University of Edinburgh, has collected nearly a million eye scans—the largest dataset of its kind. With this data, they created an AI algorithm to assess the health of tiny blood vessels in the eye, which may indicate neurodegenerative diseases.
These eye scans, taken during regular eye check-ups, could help doctors prevent or diagnose diseases much earlier than current methods allow. The retina’s tiny blood vessels often show changes before other parts of the body, making it an excellent early warning system.
Professor Baljean Dhillon, a Clinical Ophthalmology expert at the University of Edinburgh, explained that the retina acts as a “barometer” for brain health. Simple and affordable tools already used by opticians could predict brain changes later in life with the help of this AI technology.
Dementia affects memory, thinking, and speech. It impacts one in 14 people over 65 and one in six over 80, with Alzheimer’s being a common cause. Early diagnosis is crucial for starting treatment and giving patients and families time to prepare.
David Steele, a retired engineer whose mother had Alzheimer’s, shared how early detection could have saved his family years of struggle. His mother’s worsening vision masked underlying brain health issues, which could have been detected earlier with this AI tool.
Specialist optometrist Ian Cameron emphasized that eye tests can reveal much more than vision problems, including signs of heart disease, diabetes, and neurological conditions. He urged everyone to get their eyes tested every two years, as early detection leads to better health outcomes.
The NeurEYE team plans to launch a prototype of the AI tool later this year, with a broader rollout to opticians across the country by 2026.
Source: bbc
