C. Light Is Using New Eye Movement Tech to Detect Alzheimer’s Early
Christy Sheehy-Bensinger, PhD, is on a mission to bring a non-invasive and affordable test to market that can give early indications of brain conditions like Alzheimer’s. Her academic work in eye movement tracking has opened up a world of opportunity for primary care physicians – who would gain a new tool in their toolbox – and for patients concerned about cognitive impairment.
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Challenge: Spotting Trouble Before It Starts
Diagnosing brain health issues, particularly neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, can be a slow and frustrating process. Current methods often rely on expensive and invasive procedures like PET scans or lumbar punctures. These tests just aren’t practical for routine screening or preventative care, often leading to delayed diagnoses and missed opportunities for early intervention.
"Early detection is critical for managing neurodegenerative diseases," says Christy Sheehy-Bensinger, PhD, CEO & Founder of C. Light Technologies. "But current methods are simply not ideal for preventative care. We need a faster, easier, and more accessible solution."
That “faster, easier, and more accessible” is key. There are a wide range of innovative solutions coming to market with the promise of early detection of Alzheimer’s, from scans to blood biomarkers to app-based tests. But these solutions are rarely available at the point of care when a concerned patient is talking about cognitive impairment with their primary care physician.
One highly-accessible way to get a window into brain health is by measuring eye movement, something doctors have been aware of for years. The problem is past methods haven't been sensitive enough to detect the subtle changes associated with early-stage neurodegenerative diseases. C. Light Technologies' goal is to change that.
Origin Story: A Spark of Inspiration
Like so many founders, Dr. Sheehy-Bensinger’s connection to Alzheimer’s is personal. She has had multiple family members get diagnosed with the disease and she watched her Great Aunt Mary deteriorate before her eyes.
“I can remember visiting her in the nursing home when I was 10 years old. She had no idea who I was, even though we’d been grocery shopping for her and visiting for years.”
Dr. Sheehy-Bensinger’s grandmother also died from Alzheimer’s, her aunt from early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 60, and now her father has signs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
“Knowing I have this big family connection to Alzheimer’s motivates me to see how I can help expedite drug development and get care into the hands of patients.”
Those feelings, strong as they were, went somewhat dormant while Sheehy-Bensinger threw herself fully into a PhD program at Berkeley. She studied vision science and did a post-doc in neurology. She spent years exploring a new way to measure eye movement, one based on microscopic movements in the back of the eye, instead of in the front.
She had a hunch that her work could be helpful in detecting conditions like multiple sclerosis, but over time she realized that there was a strong eye-brain connection as well, and suddenly her academic work brought her right back to her starting place: Alzheimer’s.
“It was a happy confluence of events that ultimately led C. Light back to brain health,” says Sheehy-Bensinger.
Her research into microscopic eye movements and their connection to various conditions caught the industry’s attention. So she formally launched a company called C. Light Technologies, jumped into a Berkeley accelerator, and then went on the fundraising trail, ultimately raising around $8 million to bring her vision to life.
Under the Hood
C. Light Technologies' flagship product is RetiTrack, a non-invasive device that uses a high-resolution camera to track eye movements at the photoreceptor cell level in the retina. These tiny movements, invisible to the naked eye, can provide valuable insights into oculomotor function with a future nod towards brain health.
"The key innovation lies in our ability to detect these subtle eye movements," explains Dr. Sheehy-Bensinger. "Our high-resolution camera offers a much more sensitive measurement compared to traditional eye tracking methods. We bring previously invisible data to life."
The RetiTrack test itself is incredibly quick and user-friendly. It takes just 10 seconds to complete and requires minimal user effort. This makes it ideal for use in various settings, from primary care physician offices to potentially even retail locations. There is no puff of air, no eye drops, and certainly no pain.
The RetiTrack is FDA 510-k cleared only as an eye movement monitor. Dr. Sheehy-Bensinger’s work connecting fixational eye movements to conditions like Alzheimer’s is currently in process and has yet to be proven with the FDA. You could describe RetiTrack as a device with a current capability, and a mission and vision for future impact.
Final Word
It turns out the eyes aren’t just the window to the soul. They’re also a window into the brain. Thanks to the personal passion of founder Dr. Christy Sheehy-Bensinger, combined with her unique academic work in vision science and neurology, we may be on the cusp of a new wave of non-invasive diagnoses.
If C. Light Technologies is successful in using subtle changes in eye movements for earlier diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases, it could have a cascade of positive implications. It could lead to more timely intervention, which, when combined with new therapies, could lead to better long-term outcomes.
Early and accurate diagnosis can also expedite drug development by providing researchers with better tools to track disease progression and treatment efficacy.
Finally, RetiTrack's non-invasive and user-friendly nature makes it suitable for broader screening initiatives. This could allow for earlier identification of at-risk individuals and facilitate preventative measures.
Despite its promise, C. Light Technologies acknowledges the challenges ahead. Dr. Sheehy-Bensinger mentions two key hurdles: clinician adoption and reimbursement.
"Encouraging clinicians to adopt a new technology can be challenging," says Dr. Sheehy-Bensinger. "We need to build trust and demonstrate the value RetiTrack can bring to patient care." On the reimbursement front, C. Light is working with a reimbursement strategist to secure insurance reimbursement for RetiTrack.
C. Light Technologies remains confident about the future. They are continuously refining their technology and developing algorithms to combine eye movement data with other biomarkers for enhanced predictive capabilities. Their vision is to integrate RetiTrack seamlessly into primary care settings, potentially offering a valuable tool for routine checkups.
"Imagine a future where an annual brain health assessment is as simple as an eye test," Dr. Sheehy-Bensinger concludes. "That's the future we're working towards at C. Light Technologies."
By leveraging the power of eye movements, C. Light Technologies is poised to transform brain health assessment, paving the way for earlier interventions and improved patient outcomes in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases.
Join us in welcoming C. Light Technologies to StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community.
Connect with C. Light Technologies via email
Call for Alzheimer’s Innovation
With support from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Gates Ventures, we’ve launched a new global initiative created to develop a collaborative innovation community alongside leading companies, research teams, and stakeholders with a mission to accelerate progress in prevention, diagnosis, and management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Learn more and apply for an Alzheimer’s Moonshot Fellowship.
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Published: May 23, 2024