Thalidomide exposure has been linked to which ocular anomalies?

• A. Coloboma and Microphthalmia
• B. Cataracts
• C. Retinal Detachment
• D. Nystagmus

Answer: (A)

Thalidomide exposure during early pregnancy can disrupt ocular development, leading to specific congenital eye malformations. The most characteristic findings are coloboma and microphthalmia. Coloboma occurs when the embryonic fissure fails to close, resulting in a gap that can affect the iris, retina, choroid, or optic nerve. Microphthalmia means the eye is abnormally small due to early developmental disruption. These defects reflect a direct impact on the developing eye during the critical first-trimester period.

Other options—cataracts, retinal detachment, or nystagmus—are not the classic constellation of ocular abnormalities associated with thalidomide embryopathy. Cataracts are lens opacities from different etiologies, retinal detachment is a later complication or separate condition, and nystagmus is a sign of visual impairment rather than a primary congenital malformation linked to thalidomide exposure.