Many people think eye exams are only useful for checking vision. However, scientists have discovered that our eyes can reveal much more about our health than just how well we see.
In particular, the tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye can provide valuable clues about the health of the heart and the body’s entire blood circulation system.
A new scientific study has found that the shape and size of these tiny eye blood vessels are strongly influenced by our genes. The discovery could help doctors better understand why some people develop high blood pressure or heart disease.
The research was led by scientists at St George’s, University of London, along with researchers from several other institutions. Their findings were published in the scientific journal PLOS Genetics.
At the center of the study is a thin layer at the back of the eye called the retina. The retina contains many small arteries and veins that carry blood. These vessels are very important because they reflect the condition of blood vessels throughout the rest of the body.
Unlike blood vessels in many other organs, retinal blood vessels can be seen easily. Doctors can take detailed digital images of the retina using a special camera. The process is quick, painless, and does not require any surgery or injections. Because of this, retinal imaging has become a useful tool for scientists studying blood vessel health.
For many years, doctors have noticed that changes in the appearance of retinal blood vessels are linked to several serious health problems. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
For example, some people have retinal blood vessels that are wider, narrower, or more twisted than normal. These differences may signal problems with circulation in the body.
Even though these links have been known for some time, scientists did not fully understand how much our genes influence the structure of these tiny vessels.
To investigate this question, researchers used data from a major health project known as the UK Biobank. This project collects medical and genetic information from hundreds of thousands of volunteers in the United Kingdom. It is one of the largest health research databases in the world.
For this study, the scientists analyzed retinal images from nearly 53,000 people who participated in the UK Biobank project. Because there were so many images, the researchers used artificial intelligence, or AI, to help examine them.
The AI system was trained to recognize important features in the eye images. It could automatically identify arteries and veins and measure their size. It also measured how straight or twisted the blood vessels were.
Some vessels appear almost straight, while others twist and curve as they travel across the retina. The researchers described this feature as “twisting” or “tortuosity.”
After analyzing the eye images, the scientists compared the results with the participants’ genetic data. They used a research method called a genome-wide association study, often shortened to GWAS. This method allows scientists to scan the entire human genome to find genetic differences linked to certain traits.
The results were striking. The team identified 119 different locations in human DNA that appear to influence how retinal blood vessels develop.
Among these genetic locations, 89 were linked specifically to how much the arteries twist. This showed that the twisting of retinal arteries is strongly influenced by genetics.
The study also revealed something even more important. The researchers found evidence that increased twisting in retinal arteries may lead to higher diastolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure is the lower number in a blood pressure reading and represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats.
Higher diastolic blood pressure is known to increase the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. The scientists believe that when arteries become more twisted, blood may not flow through them as efficiently. Over time, this could affect pressure inside the vessels and place extra strain on the heart.
These findings could help doctors in the future. If researchers understand how genes influence blood vessel structure, they may be able to develop new ways to predict or prevent heart disease.
One possible benefit is that simple eye scans could become an early warning tool. A quick retinal photograph might one day help doctors identify people who are at risk of developing high blood pressure or heart disease long before symptoms appear.
The study was led by Professor Christopher Owen and his research team. Their work adds an important piece of knowledge to the growing field of cardiovascular genetics.
Other research has also suggested that lifestyle habits play a major role in heart health. Healthy diets, regular exercise, and good sleep can help control blood pressure. Some studies suggest that foods like beetroot may help lower blood pressure, while minerals such as zinc may also support heart health.
Together, these discoveries highlight how closely different parts of the body are connected. The eyes, heart, and blood vessels all work together as part of a complex system.
By paying attention to small signals in the body, such as the appearance of blood vessels in the eye, scientists may discover new ways to detect disease earlier and protect long-term health.
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