Eye See Stroke Risk

In the future, predicting a person's stroke risk could be as simple as examining his or her eyes during a visit to the ophthalmologist.

Researchers from the University of Zurich have found a way to detect carotid artery stenosis -- a stroke risk factor -- in the eyes by using a test called ocular pulse amplitude, or OPA. Carotid artery stenosis occurs when arteries that go to the front region of the brain are blocked.

The study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, included 67 people who all had carotid artery stenosis. They found that the test to measure study participants' OPA scores -- calculated by measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels -- accurately predicted artery blockage, with low OPA scores indicating artery blockage.

This makes stroke prediction more reliable and more accessible.  Early warning may give people the incentive to change their lifestyle, or give doctors advanced warning so they can use medicine to intervene.  Strokes are still a silent killer.  Risk factors give some warning, but this is an actual chance to give hard information.