The retina is the only CNS tissue not shielded by bone, allowing for noninvasive imaging and providing a unique perspective into the brain. A developmental outgrowth of the embryonic diencephalon, the retina fittingly shares many structural and functional features with the brain including a blood barrier and populations of neurons and glial cells, which secrete proteins related to the amyloid cascade (e.g. BACE1, γ-secretase, ApoE, clusterin) (Morin et al., 1993; Purves and Fitzpatrick, 2001; Johnson et al., 2002; Byerly and Blackshaw, 2009; Maude et al., 2009; Cai et al., 2012; Li et al., 2016; Trost et al., 2016; Vecino et al., 2016). The retina is physically connected to the brain via axons of the optic nerve (Figure 1A), which facilitate vesicular transport of synthesized AβPP, potentially to and from retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) (Morin et al., 1993). Further, brain and retinal microvasculatures are morphologically and physiologically similar (Patton et al., 2005). Overall, the close relationship between these two CNS tissues and their anatomical sub-structures as well as the feasibility of noninvasive retinal imaging may provide a window into better understanding of processes in the CNS such as healthy aging and neurodegeneration.