Fundus Examination of 23,861 Newborns by Digital Imaging in Ningbo

To perform fundus examinations of full-term and premature infants to identify common congenital ocular diseases and determine the incidence and additional risk factors in Ningbo, China.

Fundus examinations were performed on newborns between January 2017 and July 2020 in Ningbo using a RetCam3 or PanoCam LT wide-field digital imaging system. The neonates' birth weight, gestational age, gender, delivery mode, oxygen intake, and other conditions were recorded. We compared the incidence of ocular abnormalities in both full-term newborns and premature infants.

There were 23,861 newborns in this study comprising 12,605 (52.8%) male and 11,256 (47.2%) female infants, 20,938 full-term babies, and 2,923 premature babies. The average gestational age was 37.9 ± 5.6 weeks, and the average birth weight was 3,189 ± 417 g. Overall, we found ocular abnormalities in 6,645 (27.8%). The most common abnormality in full-term newborns was retinal hemorrhage (RH), which we found in 3,827 (18.3%) cases. Other diseases identified included familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), retinoblastoma (RB), and congenital cataracts. The delivery method had a significant impact on the incidence of neonatal RH (P < 0.001). Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was observed in 617 newborns accounting for 21.1% of all screened premature infants. Logistic analysis showed that gestational age and birth weight were important risk factors for ROP (P < 0.001). For treatable diseases, such as ROP, FEVR, congenital cataract, glaucoma, and RB, early identification allows for active treatment or referral to a specialized hospital for further treatment.

Early examination and prompt treatment of ocular disorders in newborns are important to avoid lifelong visual impairment. Eye examinations should be performed during the neonatal period and at regular follow-up visits.