Written By: N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe | Updated : May 20, 2026 1:15 PM IST
Weak bones and eye health. (Image: AI Generated)
Who would have thought that human eyes might just be giving clues to more than vision problems? Researchers are now stating that your eyes may give away whether your bones are deteriorating with age. The finding that is now published in the PLOS Digital Health showed that retinal ageing may be associated with osteoporosis which is the silent bone disease affecting millions of people around the world according to new population studies done in Singapore and the UK.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone mineral density is lost leading to weak and brittle bone. It often occurs in older adults and post-menopausal women increasing the risk of dangerous fractures. Healthcare professionals note that weak bone is a silent disease since symptoms are usually not noticed until a bone breaks. What is more concerning is that there is no cure for osteoporosis as of now. And diagnosis typically occurs through bone density scans until a great deal of bone loss has taken place.
Now, researchers think the light sensitive layer in the back of the eye called the retina might be able to detect osteoporosis before the condition deteriorates. The retina is one of the very few areas of the body that can be examined directly by doctors without an invasive procedure to see the blood vessels, nerves, inflammation and metabolic changes.
Researchers conducted a study of nearly 2,000 Singapore adults and discovered that those whose eyes had "older-looking" retinas were more likely to have low bone mineral density. The researchers then analysed data from almost 44,000 people in the UK Biobank and observed similar findings. The results indicated that those who exhibited faster retinal ageing over time were more likely to develop weak bones.
Scientists at Singapore Eye Research Institute and Singapore National Eye Center have studied retinal ageing with artificial intelligence. RetiAGE was designed based on almost 130,000 retinal images of over 40,000 people participating in a South Korean health study.
This AI system was then applied to estimate osteoporosis and fracture risk in the UK and Singapore populations. The results showed a 12 per cent increase in osteoporosis risk for each SD increase in retinal ageing score in the UK data set. The link was even stronger among men with a 25 per cent increased risk.
Healthcare professionals mention that the eyes and bones could age similarly as both are affected by common lifestyle factors like:
Scientists also found that some eye immunity-related genes are linked with the production of bone cells. Medical conditions like hypertension could also link eye and bone health as previous studies have shown that high blood pressure and osteoporosis have been linked to have similar underlying mechanisms.
According to researchers retinal imaging may one day prove to be a reliable, non-invasive and cost-effective method to determine individuals' risk of osteoporosis prior to fracture. While the technology is still in its preliminary stage scientists are optimistic that AI-driven retinal scans could be used one day to uncover underlying health issues associated with ageing.
Disclaimer: Research findings are preliminary and should not replace medical advice. Eye-related changes may be linked to bone health but only clinical testing can diagnose osteoporosis accurately.
