This is the 45th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers and stories of hope.
William Shakespeare described the eyes as the window to the soul.
Marfan syndrome, for example, is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue – the fibres that support and anchor the organs and other structures in the body.
It most commonly affects the heart, eyes, blood vessels and skeleton. It is visible in sufferers’ eyes as long stringlike tissues that hold their lenses in place. This alerts doctors to check for aortic wall weaknesses in the heart.