The Retina as a Window to Metal-Induced Neurotoxicity

<jats:p>The retina, as a direct extension of the central nervous system, shares developmental origins, cellular architecture, barrier systems and neurovascular dynamics with the brain, making it a uniquely accessible site for detecting early neurotoxic injury. This chapter examines the retina as a non-invasive diagnostic window for metal-induced neurotoxicity, focusing on lead, mercury, cadmium, iron and zinc. Retinal vulnerability is explored through oxidative stress, protein misfolding, and retinal ganglion cell apoptosis. Optical coherence tomography, electroretinography and emerging AI frameworks are reviewed as tools for early neurotoxicological surveillance.</jats:p>