Scanning the eyes for heart disease

Researchers at the University of California have explored how retinal scans could help identify patients at risk of heart disease.

During the study, the records of 13,940 patients who received a retinal scan at UC San Diego Health were examined.

Researchers sought to determine if retinal ischemic perivascular lesions (RIPL) could serve as a biomarker for cardiovascular disease.

They identified 84 people who had heart disease and 74 without disease and found more RIPL in the eyes of individuals with heart disease.

It was hoped the findings could provide a new way of examining a patient’s risk of heart disease.