Study finds eyes hold clues to stroke risk

A trip to the optician can do more than assess your sight. It could be a life saver! According to experts, a simple eye test could be a warning sign of an impending life-threatening illness like stroke. Though studies have established that people suffering from high blood pressure are more vulnerable to stroke, it's still not possible to predict which are most likely to develop the ailment. Researchers delving into the link between hypertensive retinopathy (an eye disorder triggered by high blood pressure, where the retina becomes damaged) and stroke risk found retinal imaging was an effective way to identify patients who are at high risk for stroke. Study researcher Mohammad Kamran Ikram, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Singapore Eye Research Institute at the National University of Singapore stated, "The retina provides information on the status of blood vessels in the brain.Retinal imaging is a non-invasive and cheap way of examining the blood vessels of the retina.” Link

http://www.themedguru.com/articles/study-finds-eyes-hold-clues-stroke-risk-49273.html