Screening eye diseases in babies: an Italian experience on 5000 healthy, consecutive newborns

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neonatal Care
• Public Health

Background:

• Early diagnosis of congenital eye pathologies is crucial for visual development.
• Delayed diagnosis and treatment, particularly for amblyopia (lazy eye), negatively impact outcomes.
• Access to healthcare services can impede timely diagnosis and intervention for newborns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of in-hospital newborn eye examinations as a screening tool.
• To identify the incidence of congenital eye pathologies in a newborn population.
• To advocate for early, systematic screening to improve pediatric eye health.

Main Methods:

• Ophthalmological examinations conducted on all full-term, healthy newborns.
• Examinations performed within 1-3 days after birth in the maternal ward.
• Data collected from the first 5000 newborns screened.

Main Results:

• A high incidence of congenital eye pathologies was observed, exceeding international literature benchmarks.
• Significant differences in pathology incidence were noted between Caucasian and non-Caucasian newborns.
• The screening identified numerous cases requiring early intervention.

Conclusions:

• In-hospital newborn eye examinations serve as an effective screening strategy.
• Systematic screening ensures no cases are missed, facilitating early treatment pathways.
• Implementing this screening protocol can significantly improve long-term visual health in infants.