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Insights into Systemic Disease through Retinal Imaging-Based Oculomics
Wagner SK, Fu DJ, Faes L, Liu X, Huemer J, Khalid H, Ferraz D, Korot E et al.. Translational vision science & technology, 2020-02-12
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Among the most noteworthy developments in ophthalmology over the last decade has been the emergence of quantifiable high-resolution imaging modalities, which are typically non-invasive, rapid and widely available. Such imaging is of unquestionable utility in the assessment of ocular disease however evidence is also mounting for its role in identifying ocular biomarkers of systemic disease, which we term oculomics . In this review, we highlight our current understanding of how retinal morphology evolves in two leading causes of global morbidity and mortality, cardiovascular disease and dementia. Population-based analyses have demonstrated the predictive value of retinal microvascular indices, as measured through fundus photography, in screening for heart attack and stroke. Similarly, the association between the structure of the neurosensory retina and prevalent neurodegenerative disease, in particular Alzheimer's disease, is now well-established. Given the growing size and complexity of emerging multimodal datasets, modern artificial intelligence techniques, such as deep learning, may provide the optimal opportunity to further characterize these associations, enhance our understanding of eye-body relationships and secure novel scalable approaches to the risk stratification of chronic complex disorders of ageing.
Key findings
- Population-based analyses have demonstrated the predictive value of retinal microvascular indices, as measured through fundus photography, in screening for heart attack and stroke.
Why it matters
This review describes how retinal imaging may serve as a biomarker of systemic disease, noting an established association between retinal structure and Alzheimer's disease. It discusses retinal imaging for risk stratification but does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Translational vision science & technology) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Translational Vision Science & Technology: journal h-index 70 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 310 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 38.8 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 206 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Pearse Andrew Keane: h-index 82 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32704412) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.2.6
- PubMed: 32704412
- Original source →
- Free full text: Translational Vision Science & Technology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wagner, S. K., Fu, D. J., Faes, L., Liu, X., Huemer, J., Khalid, H., et al. (2020). Insights into Systemic Disease through Retinal Imaging-Based Oculomics. Translational vision science & technology. https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.9.2.6
Vancouver
Wagner SK, Fu DJ, Faes L, Liu X, Huemer J, Khalid H, et al. Insights into Systemic Disease through Retinal Imaging-Based Oculomics. Translational vision science & technology. 2020. doi:10.1167/tvst.9.2.6. PMID: 32704412.
BibTeX
@article{wagner2020-32704412,
author = {Wagner, S. K. and Fu, D. J. and Faes, L. and Liu, X. and Huemer, J. and Khalid, H. and Ferraz, D. and Korot, E. and others},
title = {{Insights into Systemic Disease through Retinal Imaging-Based Oculomics}},
journal = {Translational vision science \& technology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1167/tvst.9.2.6},
pmid = {32704412},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.9.2.6}
}
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