Role of Retinal Vessel Caliber Assessment in Predicting Hemorrhagic Stroke—Emerging Concepts

Abstract

Retinal vessels provide an indirect window to the status of cerebral vasculature. Pathological changes in cerebral vessels secondary to hypertension and other predisposing conditions precede the onset of hemorrhagic stroke. Retinal vessel assessment may help in early detection of these changes and several studies have shown that retinal vessel caliber assessment can be a valuable tool in the primary prevention of hemorrhagic stroke. Technical considerations have been a limiting factor in the widespread use of this simple user friendly tool. However, recent technological and software advances especially in the realm of artificial intelligence and machine learning have simplified the procedure. This article explores the current status and future prospects of this extremely promising tool.