A heart health assessment routinely used in primary care may also help identify patients at risk of developing multiple sight-threatening eye conditions years later, according to new research from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health.
A study published in Ophthalmology has found that people with higher cardiovascular risk scores are significantly more likely to develop eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, retinal vein occlusion and hypertensive retinopathy.
The research, reported by UCLA Health on 7 January 2026, suggests a tool already embedded in routine medical care could support earlier eye disease detection without the need for additional testing.
Researchers analysed electronic health records from 35,909 adults aged 40 to 79 who participated in the All of Us Research Program between 2009 and 2015. Each participant’s cardiovascular risk was calculated using the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE), which incorporate standard clinical measures such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, smoking status and diabetes.
Participants were grouped into low, borderline, intermediate and high cardiovascular risk categories and followed for five to seven years to assess the development of ocular disease. The analysis adjusted for additional factors not included in the PCE, including race subgroups, body mass index, kidney disease and education level.
The study found a strong association between cardiovascular risk and future eye disease. Compared with those in the low-risk group, individuals in the high-risk category were 6.2 times more likely to develop AMD and 5.9 times more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy. Risk was also significantly elevated for hypertensive retinopathy (4.5 times), retinal vein occlusion (3.4 times) and glaucoma (2.3 times).
According to the authors, the cardiovascular score showed particular predictive strength for diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy and AMD, with consistent results across different follow-up periods.
Senior author Dr Anne Coleman, chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at UCLA Health, said the findings highlight an opportunity to improve early detection of eye disease.
“We found that a simple score already calculated in millions of doctor visits each year may meaningfully predict who will develop serious eye diseases,” Dr Coleman said.
“This gives us an opportunity to identify high-risk patients early, when preventive measures might still protect their vision.”
The researchers suggest cardiovascular risk scores could help primary care physicians identify patients who may benefit from earlier referral to eyecare professionals for comprehensive screening. Further research is needed to determine how best to integrate this approach into routine care and whether earlier intervention based on cardiovascular risk can reduce vision loss.
The study is titled Cardiovascular Risk and Eye Health: A Prospective Cohort Study of the Pooled Cohort Equations and Ocular Disease Incidence and was published in Ophthalmology on 29 December 2025 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2025.12.021).
