An eye test could predict a devastating condition up to seven years earlier. The groundbreaking technology can detect signs of Parkinson’s disease years before symptoms appear.

Parkinson’s disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. This can lead to involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body, slow movement, and stiff and inflexible muscles.

However, the disease is not typically diagnosed until after a person has been experiencing symptoms. This is where the test, which was discovered by a team at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University College London, could change that – meaning patients are able to receive supportive treatments and medications earlier.

Details of the test were given in a scientific report published in Neurology journal in 2023. However, the NHS shared information about the test in line with World Parkinson’s Day this year.

In a video, comedian and star of ITV’s The Chase, Paul Sinha, explained more. Paul, now 54, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.

He said: “How could looking into my eyes reveal my Parkinson’s disease up to seven years early? By analysing NHS patient data, researchers at Moorfields have discovered link with eye scanner results and Parkinson’s, which might mean that in future doctors could use eye scans to identify the disease before symptoms even appear, giving patients like me more control over our lives.”

As part of the research, the team analyses a database of 154,830 3D scans, searching for physical differences in the retina which indicate the presence of the disease.

The process was then repeated using UK Biobank’s database, assessing 67,311 healthy volunteers aged between 40 and 69. 

This supported the team’s findings, confirming that people with Parkinson’s share similar characteristics in the layer of cells below the skin’s surface. As reported by NHS England, it’s hoped that this type of detailed 3D scan could now be used as a pre-screening tool to detect Parkinson’s disease before people even experience symptoms. 

The NHS said: “This could then enable patients to receive treatment and make any appropriate lifestyle changes at a much earlier stage – potentially offering a vast improvement to their quality of life.”

Moorfields’ medical director Louisa Wickham said that using imaging across a wider population could “have a huge impact on public health in the future.” She said: “OCT scans are more scalable, non-invasive, lower cost and quicker than brain scans for this purpose.”

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Most people with Parkinson’s start to develop symptoms when they’re over 50, although some people with the condition first experience symptoms when they’re under 40. As well as tremors, it can cause:

• Depression and anxiety
• Balance problems (this may increase the chances of a fall)
• Loss of sense of smell (anosmia)
• Problems sleeping (insomnia)
• Memory problems.

If you or someone you know displays symptoms of Parkinson’s, you should speak to a GP.