Research
grants
Blue Mountains Eye Study
Retinal Vascular Signs
Cataract Surgery & AMD
Sydney Myopia Study
Sydney Paediatric Eye Disease Study
[Australian Heart Eye Study]
In the media
Australian Heart Eye Study
This study, which commenced in 2009, aims to determine whether vessel signs from the retina at the back of the eye are an independent marker of heart disease as assessed by a coronary angiogram. New imaging techniques permit a rapid assessment of these signs. This project could potentially lead to the development of an innovative, non-invasive test that could be used to screen people for the risk of coronary heart disease, in addition to traditional risk factors like blood pressure, smoking, cholesterol and obesity.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the principle cause of mortality and morbidity in Australia, despite recent evidence for substantially reduced CHD incidence, as well as benefits gained from emerging cardiac intervention therapies. Further reductions in CHD morbidity will likely require better understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms and identification of new, modifiable risk signs, as traditional risk factors do not fully explain CHD risk. Microvascular mechanisms are increasingly being recognised as involved in a significant proportion of CHD cases, but the exact role and contribution is unclear. In a another study, we have previously confirmed a link between retinal microvascular signs and systemic vascular disease.
Here, we aim to recruit 3000 patients presenting for coronary angiography, mostly after presentation with angina, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or congestive cardiac failure (CCF). We will perform retinal photography to document the retinal microvasculature, and determine whether retinal microvascular signs are useful prognostic markers of CHD risk and whether they could assist in confirming patterns of coronary microvascular dysfuction.
