People with type 2 diabetes are usually told to have regular eye checks to protect their vision. These tests look for damage caused by high blood sugar, which can harm the tiny blood vessels in the eyes and lead to vision loss if not treated.
Now, scientists have discovered that these routine eye screenings may reveal much more than eye problems. They may also provide an early warning sign of hidden heart disease.
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition in which the body cannot control blood sugar properly. Over time, high sugar levels damage blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.
Because of this, people with diabetes face a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. Many of these heart problems develop quietly over years without obvious symptoms, which makes early detection difficult.
Researchers at the University of Leicester wanted to find out whether changes seen in the eye could reflect similar changes happening in the heart. The eye contains a special layer called the retina, located at the back of the eye.
This layer is rich in tiny blood vessels that are easy to photograph using a painless imaging method known as retinal photography. Doctors have used these photographs for decades to detect diabetic eye disease, also called diabetic retinopathy.
When blood sugar remains high for long periods, the small vessels in the retina can swell, leak fluid, or become blocked. This reduces the oxygen supply to the eye and can lead to vision problems or blindness.
Because these vessels are so delicate, they can show damage earlier than blood vessels in other parts of the body. Scientists wondered whether this visible damage might reflect hidden injury in the heart’s blood vessels as well.
To investigate, the research team studied 255 people with type 2 diabetes. Each participant underwent advanced heart imaging tests at a hospital in Leicester.
These tests examined the structure of the heart, how well it pumped blood, and whether there were signs of coronary artery disease. The researchers then compared these results with the retinal photographs taken during routine eye screening.
The findings were striking. People who showed signs of diabetic retinopathy in their eye images were more likely to have silent heart disease.
This included early signs of coronary artery narrowing and changes that suggest the heart may not pump as efficiently as it should. In other words, damage visible in the eye was linked to hidden problems in the heart, even in patients who did not yet feel any symptoms.
This discovery is important because eye screening is already part of standard care for people with diabetes in many countries. Using these same images to assess heart risk would not require new tests or equipment. Doctors could identify high-risk patients earlier and start treatment sooner, potentially preventing serious complications.
The researchers believe this approach could improve how doctors monitor diabetes and protect patients from cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death among people with type 2 diabetes. Early detection allows for lifestyle changes, medication adjustments, and closer monitoring to reduce risk.
However, the study also has limitations. It involved a relatively small group of patients from a single region, so more research is needed to confirm the findings in larger and more diverse populations. Scientists also need to determine exactly how eye changes relate to heart damage and whether using eye screening in this way improves long-term outcomes.
Overall, the study suggests that the body’s organs are more connected than we often realize. Damage in one area may provide clues about problems elsewhere. For people living with diabetes, this research offers hope that a simple eye photograph could one day help protect both vision and heart health.
The findings highlight the importance of regular checkups and taking diabetes management seriously. Controlling blood sugar, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and attending routine screenings can reduce the risk of complications. This study reminds us that early detection is one of the most powerful tools in preventing serious disease.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
The study is published in Scientific Reports.
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