A method for detecting an amyloid protein in an eye of a mammal, the method comprising: illuminating the eye with a light source having at least one of a wavelength property, a polarization property or a combination thereof, each appropriate to produce fluorescence in at least an amyloid-binding compound when the amyloid-binding compound is bound to the amyloid protein, the amyloid-binding compound having been introduced to the eye and specifically binding to the amyloid protein indicative of the amyloidogenic disorder; receiving light including fluorescence produced as a result of the illuminating the eye; and determining a time decay rate of fluorescence for at least the fluorescence produced by the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein, the determining permitting distinguishing of the presence of the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein in the eye based on at least the time decay rate; wherein the method further comprises detecting fluorescence produced by the eye using a photodetector device; performing a time correlation single photon counting of the fluorescence produced by the eye, which comprises pulsing the light source and determining the time decay rate of fluorescence based on a distribution of photon counts as a function of time channel units; illuminating the eye with light of an appropriate wavelength for a peak region of a fluorescent excitation spectrum for the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein in the eye, and detecting light received from the eye of an appropriate wavelength for a peak region of a fluorescent emission spectrum for the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein in the eye; and wherein the amyloid-binding compound is [ -2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethyl-2-cyano-3-(6-(piperidin-1-yl)naphthalen-2-yl)acrylate], the excitation spectrum has a peak of 470 nm, the illuminating of the eye is at a wavelength within plus or minus 20 nm of the peak of the excitation spectrum, and the emission spectrum has a peak of 580 nm, the detecting of light received from the eye is at a wavelength within plus or minus 20 nm of the peak of the emission spectrum. illuminating the eye with a light source having at least one of a wavelength property, a polarization property or a combination thereof, each appropriate to produce fluorescence in at least an amyloid-binding compound when the amyloid-binding compound is bound to the amyloid protein, the amyloid-binding compound having been introduced to the eye and specifically binding to the amyloid protein indicative of the amyloidogenic disorder; receiving light including fluorescence produced as a result of the illuminating the eye; and determining a time decay rate of fluorescence for at least the fluorescence produced by the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein, the determining permitting distinguishing of the presence of the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein in the eye based on at least the time decay rate; wherein the method further comprises detecting fluorescence produced by the eye using a photodetector device; performing a time correlation single photon counting of the fluorescence produced by the eye, which comprises pulsing the light source and determining the time decay rate of fluorescence based on a distribution of photon counts as a function of time channel units; illuminating the eye with light of an appropriate wavelength for a peak region of a fluorescent excitation spectrum for the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein in the eye, and detecting light received from the eye of an appropriate wavelength for a peak region of a fluorescent emission spectrum for the amyloid-binding compound bound to the amyloid protein in the eye; and wherein the amyloid-binding compound is [ -2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethyl-2-cyano-3-(6-(piperidin-1-yl)naphthalen-2-yl)acrylate], the excitation spectrum has a peak of 470 nm, the illuminating of the eye is at a wavelength within plus or minus 20 nm of the peak of the excitation spectrum, and the emission spectrum has a peak of 580 nm, the detecting of light received from the eye is at a wavelength within plus or minus 20 nm of the peak of the emission spectrum.