2026-04-28 10:36:04

A bedside eye test could help doctors predict if a patient could die within 24 hours.

Scientists say the technique focuses on the corneal reflex, an automatic blink response triggered when the surface of the eye is gently touched.

Researchers found that patients who had lost this reflex were far more likely to die within a day, offering a potential breakthrough in end-of-life care.

The study, published in BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, tracked 112 hospice patients with advanced cancer in their final weeks.

Led by Dr Jung Hun Kang, the team monitored patients and tested their corneal reflex three times a day.

He said: “Family members often place great importance on being present at the moment of death.

“That often leads to difficult and urgent questions about how much time remains.”

Of the patients studied, those who had completely lost the reflex were more than five times as likely to die within 24 hours compared to those who still had it.

Around 70.7 per cent of patients with no corneal reflex died within a day.

Scientists believe this may signal the failure of the brainstem, the part of the brain responsible for vital functions like breathing and consciousness.

Doctors already look for warning signs such as irregular breathing, bluish skin and reduced awareness. But the new method could offer a more precise timeline.

The test proved even more accurate when combined with the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale, which measures alertness.

Among deeply sedated patients, 71.2 per cent without a corneal reflex died within 24 hours, compared to 37.1 per cent whose reflex remained.

Independent expert David Hui, director of research for supportive and palliative care at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, said the findings matched other known signs of imminent death, but urged caution.

He noted the study was relatively small and focused only on hospice patients with advanced cancer.

Researchers say larger trials are now needed.

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