Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death globally.

One of the most important risk factors in the development of cardiovascular disease is cigarette smoking. Smoking has both a physiological and anatomical effect on the systemic and retinal circulation. Examining the retinal vasculature with fundus photography provides an exclusive opportunity to directly examine blood vessels non-invasively. Fundus photos can thus be used to identify and monitor the progression of those eye diseases that have a systemic involvement.

Co-Lead Gayl Humphrey and Associate Professor Natalie Walker's research into this has recently been published in Nature Scientific Reports. 

Read the full article here.