The BBC London programme has featured a story about predicting Parkinsons disease. The use of easy and regular eye scans combined with super computers utilising artificial intelligence (A.I) can make the diagnosis. This finding can be made up to seven years before the condition becomes apparent in any other way. This new science is called Oculomics.
Professor Pearse Keene gave a glimpse into the future of medical science. The scan called Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is non intrusive. The scan looks at the back of the eye called the retina. The retina is where both the nervous and vascular systems are easily visible on the OCT. The powerful computer processing is able to detect small significant signs. These are signs that humans cannot recognise alone. This breakthrough will enable people with Parkinsons to start to manage the disease earlier on.
Angela Sharp a Parkinson disease patient spoke about the benefits to Parkinson sufferers that knowing in advance can give. Parkinsons is a degenerative disease, and the onset can be delayed by taking early action. In people with Parkinsons it is found that exercising the mind and body in intentional ways delays the onset and severity of symptoms.
This work has involved collaboration between the NIHR (National Institute of Health and Social Care) Biomedical Research Centres at Moorfields Eye Hospital, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, the UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, University Hospital Birmingham, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Oxford and University College Hospital London.
The scope and quality of the research has been maximised through these exceptional NHS research partnerships.
Please contact Helen Khan at h.khan@ucl.ac.uk for more information on this story or to access content from the Oculomics film.