Your doctor will need to test this in you immediately post stroke. If this damage is found you will need to implement your doctor's protocols on stroke and dementia prevention.
Retinal Damage May Signal Higher Risk of Stroke, Dementia and Early Death
Pictures
of the retina may someday provide early warning signs that a person is
at an increased risk of stroke and dementia, making it possible to take
preventive measures, (protocols required)according to preliminary research to be presented
at the 2021 Virtual American Stroke Association’s International Stroke
Conference, to be held March 17-19, 2021.
“The retina is a window to the brain,” said Michelle P. Lin, MD, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida. “A retinal photo that shows a magnified look at the back of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve, is cheaper and faster to perform than an MRI, so we’re wondering if it might be a good screening tool to see who could benefit from a referral to a neurologist for a brain MRI.”
In addition to the eye doctor’s office, retinal photos could be taken by a smartphone camera or via a smartphone adapter, she said.
For the study, the researchers examined the association of retinopathy with stroke, dementia, and the risk of death in 5,543 adults (mean age, 56 years) who participated in the annual US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) between 2005 and 2008. Participants during those years were interviewed about many aspects of their medical history and health behaviours, and in addition, they received a retinal scan photo to look for signs of retinopathy.
Compared with participants not diagnosed with retinopathy, those with retinopathy were more than twice as likely to have had a stroke, almost 70% more likely to have dementia, and
more likely to die within the next 10 years, with each increase in the severity of retinopathy conferring a higher risk of death.
The odds were calculated after adjusting for risk factors including age, high blood pressure, diabetes and if they smoke.
“If you have retinopathy, work closely with your primary care doctor to alter your vascular risk factors and ask to be screened for cognitive impairment,” said Dr. Lin. “You may be referred to a neurologist for evaluation and possibly a brain MRI.”
The study was limited because the NHANES data does not differentiate between various types of stroke. In addition, because the surveys rely on self-reported memory problems as an indicator of dementia, the occurrence of dementia may be overestimated.
Reference: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/retinal-damage-may-signal-higher-risk-of-stroke-dementia-and-early-death
SOURCE: American Heart Association
“The retina is a window to the brain,” said Michelle P. Lin, MD, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida. “A retinal photo that shows a magnified look at the back of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve, is cheaper and faster to perform than an MRI, so we’re wondering if it might be a good screening tool to see who could benefit from a referral to a neurologist for a brain MRI.”
In addition to the eye doctor’s office, retinal photos could be taken by a smartphone camera or via a smartphone adapter, she said.
For the study, the researchers examined the association of retinopathy with stroke, dementia, and the risk of death in 5,543 adults (mean age, 56 years) who participated in the annual US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) between 2005 and 2008. Participants during those years were interviewed about many aspects of their medical history and health behaviours, and in addition, they received a retinal scan photo to look for signs of retinopathy.
Compared with participants not diagnosed with retinopathy, those with retinopathy were more than twice as likely to have had a stroke, almost 70% more likely to have dementia, and
more likely to die within the next 10 years, with each increase in the severity of retinopathy conferring a higher risk of death.
The odds were calculated after adjusting for risk factors including age, high blood pressure, diabetes and if they smoke.
“If you have retinopathy, work closely with your primary care doctor to alter your vascular risk factors and ask to be screened for cognitive impairment,” said Dr. Lin. “You may be referred to a neurologist for evaluation and possibly a brain MRI.”
The study was limited because the NHANES data does not differentiate between various types of stroke. In addition, because the surveys rely on self-reported memory problems as an indicator of dementia, the occurrence of dementia may be overestimated.
Reference: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/retinal-damage-may-signal-higher-risk-of-stroke-dementia-and-early-death
SOURCE: American Heart Association
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