clipped from: www.sciencedaily.com   

BOSTON -- Since 1980 the number of Americans with Alzheimer's has nearly doubled to 4.5 million. The disease robs people of their memory, while early detection of Alzheimer's has eluded members of the medical field for years. Now a new eye test may help determine if you're at risk and may unlock that mystery.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, now they may be the key to saving some people's lives. A new eye test may help in the early detection of Alzheimer's.
We found the Alzheimer disease process that goes on in the brain also occurs in the lens of the eye."

Dr. Goldstein developed a pair of optical tests that can determine the presence of amyloid beta proteins in the eye lens -- a protein prevalent in the brain of all Alzheimer's patients. The interior laser ophthalmoscope can pick up the presence of the amyloid protein. "What this instrument is capable of doing is picking up those gummy aggregated particles in the lens very early, before you see the cataracts," he says.