Ontario researchers to pioneer new concussion diagnostic tool in Canada
May 29, 2025
The TRANSCENDENT Concussion Research Program, led by Ontario-based researchers, is the first and only site in Canada to offer the newest test for concussion, EyeBOX®. TRANSCENDENT is a research collaboration funded by the Ontario Brain Institute and supported by the CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario) Research Institute and 360 Concussion Care, a multi-specialty concussion clinic. Alongside international collaborators, the program has teams in Ottawa and Toronto that are working to advance treatment and research for concussion patients.
The new concussion test is as simple as watching TV and is conducted via a device called the EyeBOX, manufactured by Oculogica®. The EyeBOX scan takes under four minutes and is the first and only FDA-cleared and Health Canada registered diagnostic aid for concussion that does not require a pre-injury baseline test. The objective test is appropriate for both children and adults, and for any source of concussion injury, not just sports.
Research shows that abnormal eye movements are often seen after a concussion or other brain injury. Observing a patient’s eye tracking is commonly used by clinicians in a post-head injury evaluation. Identifying abnormal eye movement resulting from a concussion can be a challenge without the expertise of a vision specialist. Developed by a neurosurgeon, EyeBOX helps eliminate the guess work and detect subtle eye movement deficits that could otherwise go unnoticed.
Dr. Roger Zemek, Senior Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute, and emergency physician at CHEO, leads the research teams in Ottawa and Toronto. These teams are the first to include the EyeBOX test in Canadian research studies and explore the tool’s ability to use vision impairments in concussion diagnosis.
“We are proud to have the unique opportunity to use the EyeBOX as part of our comprehensive TRANSCENDENT Concussion Research Program. This tool provides a rapid, objective assessment of subtle eye movements, and we are excited to explore its potential to enhance clinicians’ ability to identify and differentiate concussions,” explains Dr. Zemek. “Our research on this technology signifies the first step to having this technology accessible to Canadians. The EyeBOX could create a new standard to enable earlier interventions for patients with concussion and advance personalized healthcare to improve recovery for our patients and facilitate earlier return to school, work and activities as quickly and as safely as possible.”
Administering the EyeBOX test is easy. Similar to eye exams at an ophthalmologist clinic, or at drivers’ license facilities, patients place their chin on a chinrest and watch a video for less than four minutes. During this time, the EyeBOX collects and analyzes 100,000 data points to generate an individualized assessment called a BOX Score. The resulting BOX Score indicates whether abnormal eye movement is present to provide key objective information to inform healthcare providers on patients with a suspected concussion.
"Every day in Ontario, our researchers are making life changing discoveries that improve the lives of residents,” said Nolan Quinn, the province's Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Our government is proud to invest in the Ontario Brain Institute and commend their TRANSCENDENT Concussion Research Program which will explore new ways to diagnose and treat concussions, leading to faster, more effective care.”
> For more information on the TRANSCENDENT Concussion Research Program, visit transcendentconcussion.ca