A new study suggests that the biological processes in the retina of the eyes may indicate certain health risks as we age. In addition, the researchers suspect that age differencesin eye healthcould act as potential biomarkers and diagnostic tools. Such differences manifest themselves in the light-sensitive layers of the nerve tissue at the back of the eye.
How the increasing risk of death can be seen in the eyes as we age
Research shows that microvessels in the retina could be reliable indicators of the general health of the circulatory system and brain. While the risks of disease and death increase with age, it is clear that these vary significantly among people of the same age. Furthermore, this implies that biological aging is unique to the individual. According to the study authors, it could also be a better indicator of current and future health. Several tissue, cell, chemical and imaging indicators have also been developed to record biological aging. However, this cannot keep pace with chronological aging. Such techniques are fraught with ethical or privacy issues and are often invasive, expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, the research team turned to layered learning.
A person's retinal age could predict whether there is a difference between that and a person's actual age based on images of the back of the eye. This is known as the “retinal age gap” and may be linked to an increased risk of death. Deep learning is a type of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) that mimics the way humans acquire certain knowledge. The algorithm showed a strong association between predicted retinal age and actual age, with an overall accuracy of 3.5 years. Large retinal age differences in years were significantly associated with a 49% to 67% higher risk of death. However, this did not apply to cardiovascular disease or cancer. The results therefore suggest that retinal age may be clinically significant as a biomarker of aging. In addition, offersthis studya unique and accessible way to evaluate the underlying pathological processes of systemic vascular and neurological diseases using the retina.
