A simple eye test may offer a fast and easy way to monitor patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) according to medical experts. A test conducted by the John Hopkins University in Maryland found patients had earlier and more active forms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) if the lining at the back of their eye had thinned.
The study enrolled 164 MS patients who underwent eye scans every 6 months for a period of 21 months. The participants also had Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain scans at the start of the study and yearly thereafter.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a scan that measures the thickness of the lining at the back of the eye – the retina and can help doctors significantly according to reports. The scan itself is a straightforward procedure that does not take much time and General Practitioners and perform the test as well
MS is a disease which progressively injures the nerves of the brain as well as the spinal cord. The cause of the disease is unknown and early symptoms include weakness, tingling, numbness, and blurred vision.
Scientists believe that the OCT scan could provide a good way to monitor MS because it is unpredictable and becomes difficult for doctors to monitor the disease with the help of other available diagnostic tools.
