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Published on: December 31, 2015
Retinopathy of prematurity screening and risk mitigation during the COVID-19 pandemic
Iason S Mantagos1, Carolyn Wu1, Joseph F Griffith1
1Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Insights
During the COVID-19 pandemic, eye care for infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was safely provided. Protocols minimized exposure risks for premature infants and ophthalmology staff, ensuring continuity of care.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatal care
- Infectious disease control
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare, including ophthalmology services.
- Premature infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) require ongoing, in-person eye examinations.
- Maintaining essential care for ROP infants during the pandemic surge was critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail safety protocols for eye care providers and infants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To compare ROP examination rates and outcomes from 2020 to 2019.
- To assess the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 exposure mitigation strategies.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of enhanced infection control measures in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
- Increased use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for eye care staff.
- Limitation of the number of ophthalmologists providing care in NICUs.
Main Results:
- Despite increased ROP examination needs in 2020, fewer examinations were conducted compared to 2019.
- No instances of missed severe ROP progression were recorded.
- No SARS-CoV-2 transmissions occurred between ROP patients and ophthalmology personnel.
Conclusions:
- Essential retinopathy of prematurity care was successfully delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Implemented safety measures effectively minimized SARS-CoV-2 exposure risks.
- Continuity of care for vulnerable infants was maintained without compromising safety.
Background:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly disrupted the delivery of healthcare. Although most nonurgent ophthalmology visits at Boston Children's Hospital were canceled, premature infants at risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) still required timely, in-person care during the initial 3-month period of the infection surge in Massachusetts. The purpose of the current study was to report our protocols for mitigating risk of exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between infants and eye care providers and to compare examination rates and results with the same 3-month period in 2019.
Methods:
During the infection surge, we added new infection control measures and strengthened existing ones. Additional personal protective equipment was used, and the number of ophthalmologists rotating in the three high-capacity NICUs we service was limited.
Results:
More infants required ROP examinations during the study period in 2020 than in the same period in 2019, but fewer examinations were performed. There were no cases of missed progression to severe ROP during this time and no known transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between ROP patients and ophthalmology staff.
Conclusions:
Overall, effective ROP care was safely provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, and contact with this vulnerable population was minimized.
