There may be some truth to the saying “the eyes are the window to the soul.” Age-related changes are reflected in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Recent research shows that a photo of the retina may also reveal potential risks for major diseases like diabetes.

 The apparent link between retinal age and major disease risk could be used as a helpful screening aid in the future. The findings are published in Communications Medicine.

“Fundus images are non-invasive photos of the eye taken as part of regular health check-ups—so no additional work is needed,” explains Nakazawa, “Our model would be a nearly frictionless addition to a clinician’s typical workflow.”