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Eye Scan Could Help Track Progress of Multiple Sclerosis

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Research is currently being conducted into the connection between the retinal lining and the progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Many healthcare professionals believe that there is a definite link between the thinning of the eye retina and relapse occurrences of MS. This is a major breakthrough in MS study. This study can assist medical professionals in a better understanding of MS and how it progresses.

What is MS?

MS is a medical condition that affects the nervous symptoms. MS prevents the brain and spine from working together in a seamless manner. The body is, in a sense, fighting itself. Messages are not being delivered from the nervous system to the brain. There is no known cause for MS development, although some medical professionals believe genetics and environmental risk factors contribute to the onset of MS. Women are diagnosed more often than men, and the diagnosis usually appears between the young ages of 20-40 years old. No cure has been discovered, and this is why continuous studies are conducted.

Eye Scans

Recent studies have been performed between the eye’s retina lining and MS progression. The thinning of the retina in the eye is discovered with a simple eye scan. This scan is performed in the office. During the study, it was discovered that MS patients suffer from deterioration of the retinal lining at a much faster rate than patients without an MS diagnosis. Another discovery is that patients with a recent MS diagnosis appear to experience deterioration much quicker than patients living with MS for a longer period of time.

Benefits of this Study

MS is continuously being researched. Researchers are looking for a cure or, at the very least, various therapies to slow the progression of the disease. Multiple Sclerosis is a difficult and strenuous disease to learn to live with because it can affect each person differently.

Some people may possibly experience trouble moving and walking, vision impairment, numbness, or slurred speech. With constant study and research being done on MS, perhaps a therapy can be discovered to improve quality of life, slow down the progression of the disease, and allow MS sufferers to live a normal life.

The new study on retinal thinning and MS progression allows for researchers to observe the effects of new therapies by monitoring the retinal thinning of MS patients. This way doctors can verify whether or not a therapy is working based on the deterioration of the retina.

Living with MS is not always easy. This disease is physically, emotionally, and mentally draining. MS sufferers struggle to lead a normal life when their body refuses to let them do so. This is why it is imperative that unremitting research is done. Finding new therapies, coping mechanisms, and having a way to test the effects of these new findings will help so many MS patients now and in the future.