Damage to the retina may provide an early warning sign of increased risk for dementia and early death, providing time for early intervention, new research suggests.

The findings emphasise the utility of the retina as a “window into the brain” that could help to gauge microvascular health, according to lead researcher, Dr Michelle Lin of Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Florida, US.

Dr Lin and her colleagues examined the association of retinopathy with stroke, dementia and the risk of death in adults participating in annual US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) between 2005 and 2008.

During those years, participants provided information on medical history and health behaviours and also had a retinal scan to look for signs of retinopathy.