Early Alzheimer’s disease could be diagnosed through eye exams, new study suggests - Fox News

The researchers analyzed human eyes and brain tissue from 86 deceased patients who had been diagnosed with either Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment before they died.

"These findings may eventually lead to the development of imaging techniques that allow us to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease earlier and more accurately, and monitor its progression non-invasively by looking through the eye," said the senior author of a new study.

"These findings may eventually lead to the development of imaging techniques that allow us to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease earlier and more accurately, and monitor its progression non-invasively by looking through the eye," said Koronyo-Hamaoui, senior author of the study.

In the not-so-distant future, Dr. Lakhan expects that patients will be able to get a retinal scan that will provide a "brain fingerprint" flagging any early signs of diseases like dementia and MS, well before symptoms begin.

"Our eyes may well be windows that allow us to peek into our brains, but this method is not yet ready for prime time," Dr. Gary Small, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, told Fox News Digital via email.

"More research is needed to determine whether an eye exam can be a consistent, sensitive and specific indicator of Alzheimer’s disease early in its course," added the doctor, who was not involved in the study.