The eyes may hold important clues about the risk of a stroke. A new study finds changes in the eye may be a red flag that a stroke is on the way.
Changes in blood vessels in the eye could be a warning sign for stroke. In a study of more than 10,000 people, researchers used retinal photography to spot abnormalities in blood vessels in the back of the eye. Retinal photography is often part of an eye exam and is used to detect and manage problems such as retinopathy, macular degeneration and other problems with the retina.
High blood pressure, a stroke risk factor, and other vascular problems can cause damage to small blood vessels in the retina. A study of more than 100 men and women compared blood vessel abnormalities to the risk of stroke.
The study found the risk of stroke was higher in people who had narrowing of the retinal vessels. Researchers say their findings suggest that retinal photography may be a useful tool in spotting patients at high risk of stroke.
Researchers say more studies need to be done to determine who are the best candidates for retinal photography.
Retinal photography is most often performed on people with diabetes and with other conditions that increase the risk of retinal damage.
The study was conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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