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Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Smartphone Fundus Photography
Published on: July 6, 2017
Smartphone-based fundus photography for screening of plus-disease retinopathy of prematurity
Tapan P Patel1, Michael T Aaberg1, Yannis M Paulus1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Insights
Smartphone-based RetinaScope offers a feasible method for screening high-risk retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in infants. This technology provides good image quality for assessing plus disease, crucial for timely ROP treatment.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Devices
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Inadequate screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can result in severe vision loss.
- Smartphone-based fundus photography offers a portable and affordable solution for ROP screening, particularly in underserved areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of using the novel smartphone-based RetinaScope device for screening high-risk retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Main Methods:
- Retinal images were captured using the RetinaScope on prematurely born infants during ROP examinations.
- Two masked graders assessed image quality, presence of plus disease, and referral criteria.
- Image-based assessments were compared against indirect ophthalmoscopy (gold standard).
Main Results:
- The study included 54 eyes from 27 infants, capturing wide-field fundus photographs with RetinaScope.
- Image quality was rated acceptable or excellent in 98% (quality) and 95% (specific grading criteria) of images.
- Substantial agreement was found between RetinaScope assessments and the gold standard for plus disease (Cohen's κ=0.85) and retinopathy presence (κ=0.92).
Conclusions:
- The RetinaScope device effectively captures high-quality digital retinal images in prematurely born infants.
- These images are suitable for grading plus disease, aiding in the screening of retinopathy of prematurity.
Background:
Inadequate screening of treatment-warranted retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can lead to devastating visual outcomes. Especially in resource-poor communities, the use of an affordable, portable, and easy to use smartphone-based non-contact fundus photography device may prove useful for screening for high-risk ROP. This study evaluates the feasibility of screening for high-risk ROP using a novel smartphone-based fundus photography device, RetinaScope.
Methods:
Retinal images were obtained using RetinaScope on a cohort of prematurely born infants during routine examinations for ROP. Images were reviewed by two masked graders who determined the image quality, the presence or absence of plus disease, and whether there was retinopathy that met predefined criteria for referral. The agreement between image-based assessments was compared to the gold standard indirect ophthalmoscopic assessment.
Results:
Fifty-four eyes of 27 infants were included. A wide-field fundus photograph was obtained using RetinaScope. Image quality was acceptable or excellent in 98% and 95% of cases. There was substantial agreement between the gold standard and photographic assessment of presence or absence of plus disease (Cohen's κ = 0.85). Intergrader agreement on the presence of any retinopathy in photographs was also high (κ = 0.92).
Conclusions:
RetinaScope can capture digital retinal photographs of prematurely born infants with good image quality for grading of plus disease.
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