Cynthia Toth, MD was recently featured in an Ophthalmology Times article and accompanying Eye Care Network video discussing new research that suggests a simple bedside eye scan may help identify neurodevelopmental risks in preterm infants before symptoms appear.
The article highlights findings from the NIH-funded BabySTEPS study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, which found that retinal nerve fiber layer and choroidal thickness measured by bedside optical coherence tomography (OCT) were associated with motor, cognitive, and autism-risk outcomes at age 2. In the video, Dr. Toth discusses how the retina serves as a window into brain development, the potential of bedside OCT as an early screening tool, and the additional research needed before OCT screening could become part of standard neonatal intensive care unit protocols.