IECCMEXICO · Apr 2, 2026
The Eye as a Diagnostic Window: Advances in Ocular Biomarkers for Systemic Disease Detection
By Trujillo AAR, Enseñat JC, Morales Z et al.
Ophthalmology has progressively evolved into a multidisciplinary field with significant potential for systemic disease detection through non-invasive ocular biomarkers. This review aims to analyze current scientific evidence on the relationship between retinal findings and systemic conditions, including cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, metabolic, and renal diseases. A structured narrative review was conducted using high-impact literature published from 2020 onward, focusing on studies indexed in major biomedical databases. The selected evidence was categorized into key domains, including vascular, neurological, metabolic, imaging, and artificial intelligence applications. The findings demonstrate that ocular biomarkers, particularly those derived from retinal imaging modalities such as fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and OCT angiography (OCTA), are consistently associated with systemic pathophysiological processes. Strong correlations were identified in neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, where retinal structural and microvascular alterations reflect broader systemic involvement. Additionally, advances in artificial intelligence have enhanced the predictive capacity of ocular imaging, enabling the identification of systemic risk factors through data-driven approaches. Ocular biomarkers also show potential in early detection, risk stratification, and disease monitoring, supporting their integration into preventive medicine frameworks. Despite these advances, challenges related to standardization, reproducibility, and longitudinal validation remain. Overall, the evidence supports the expanding role of ophthalmology as a diagnostic interface for systemic health, with promising applications in both clinical practice and public health, particularly in diverse healthcare settings.