Your optometrist could soon be your first line of defense against dementia. Data scientists and clinical researchers are working with opticians to develop a digital tool capable of detecting the early signs of neurodegenerative disease — just by scanning your eyes.

Researchers are working with high street opticians to develop a digital tool that can predict a person’s risk of dementia from an eye test.

Opticians, now more often called optometrists, will be able to use the software subsequently developed as a predictive or diagnostic tool for conditions such as Alzheimer’s, as a triage tool to refer patients to secondary health services if signs of brain disease are spotted, and potentially as a way to monitor cognitive decline.

Researchers are working on a new AI tool that could be used by high-street opticians to spot signs of the disease.

A new artificial intelligence software aims to identify people at risk of dementia - during high street eye exams. Get a free dose of heath care news and wellness tips delivered to your inbox each Tuesday morning.