Eyes May Glean Future Disability

Previously, some data has suggested that microvascular disease of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye, accelerates age-related disability.  Dae Hyun Kim, from  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues analyzed data collected in the Cardiovascular Health Study, a population-based cohort study of cardiovascular disease in nearly 6,000 community-dwelling older adults that started in 1989. Of these study participants, 1,998 had retinal photography during the 1997 to 1998 study visit.  Of the 1,487 subjects qualifying for the current study, the team found that people with two or more retinal signs were 45% more likely to develop an inability to perform activities of daily living.  The study authors conclude that: “These results provide further support for the pathophysiologic and prognostic significance of microvascular disease in age-related disability.”