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Alzheimer's eye test to enter trial phase in hopes of diagnosing before symptoms appear
BY BRIDGET ROLLASON
FRI AT 10:09PM
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A doctor looking through equipment to examine a female patient's eye.
PHOTO Suzanne Jamieson is participating in the trial because she lost her parents to Alzheimer's disease.
ABC NEWS: DANIELLE BONICA
Melbourne researchers have developed a non-invasive, cost-effective eye test to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Key points:
The $600k funding will help fast-track the research with clinical trials to begin in August
The technology uses coloured light to look for plaque at the back of the eye
Suzanne Jamieson hopes the test will allow her to live a more independent life if she gets the disease
The Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) will fast-track its research and begin clinical trials in August, after a $600,000 donation from a group of American philanthropists including Bill Gates and MacKenzie Bezos.

The world-first eye scan trial will use technology like that used in NASA satellites, to look for abnormal proteins that build up in the brain through the retina.

Peter van Wijngaarden from CERA said the new technology will test people who do not show any signs of memory impairment and detect abnormalities years before symptoms appear.

”At the moment, Alzheimer's disease is very difficult to diagnose," Dr van Wijngaarden said.

"Most people who present with memory impairment don't get access to a definitive diagnosis, because of the need for costly brain scans or a spinal tap to collect fluid."

Next wave of treatments
[color=red]The test takes less than a second of imaging time so it is quick and easy, Dr van Wijngaarden said[color=red][/color].

"The new type of imaging uses different colours of light and we can detect abnormal proteins that build up product in the back of the eye," he said.

Dr Xavier Hadoux, who helped develop the technology, said it had the potential to revolutionise the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

"The test can identify people at risk of the disease and open the way to new treatments and hopefully a cure," Dr Hadoux said.

"Ultimately, we hope the people who are identified may go on to the next wave of treatments, so they never develop the disease."

Close up of a woman getting the Alzheimer eye test.
PHOTO The quick test uses different colours of light to detect abnormal proteins.

ABC NEWS: DANIELLE BONICA
Melbourne woman Suzanne Jamieson lost both of her parents to Alzheimer's disease.

She said it is always in the back of her mind, which is why she is taking part in the trial.

"I watched my parents' memory and independence slowly and rapidly fade," she said.

"It's had a big impact — losing both of them.

"I think the grieving with Alzheimer's starts a long time before they have passed away."

Ms Jamieson hopes the trial will enable her to live a more independent life if she is at risk of developing the disease.

"If I do start to show any changes I hope that I might be able to have some sort of intervention earlier and still live a daily life without having that memory impairment," she said.

"For my mum, to have been able to pick up the memory loss at an early stage and treat that earlier, she still may have been here."

The test is being offered to middle-aged adult volunteers who have a history of Alzheimer's disease.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-01/alzheimers-diagnosis-with-eye-test-to-enter-trial-phase/11170748

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