Eye Movements Detect Alzheimer’s Disease

Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease pose a huge challenge to both the healthcare system and caregivers. A real key to helping all involved in their care is early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s so that resources can be offered.

Research on Eye Movements & Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease
According to researchers reporting in Investigative Ophthalmology & Vision Science a subtle change in eye movements may provide a useful diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease. In general, eye movements follow a reproducible pattern during normal reading. Each eye movement ends up in a fixation point, which allows the brain to process the incoming information and to program the following movements. The researchers found that Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) produces eye movement abnormalities and disturbances in reading with those patients with early AD displaying abnormal fixation patterns. So we now know that evaluation of eye movement behavior during reading might provide a useful tool for a more precise early diagnosis of AD and for monitoring the progress or stability of Alzheimer Disease.

If you or someone you know has a question about early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease or the role of eye movements in Alzheimer’s Disease, please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.