A new study from researchers at the University of Michigan (UM) Kellogg Eye Center has found 28 percent of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) do not offer treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), most often due to a lack of available ophthalmologists, and frequently need to transfer babies to another hospital for treatment.
Additionally, researchers found only 56 percent of medical directors at 393 NICUs believe there are enough ophthalmologists who can screen and/or treat ROP in their local area. And when asked about using retinal imaging devices to take an image in the NICU and send to an off-site reader, 30 percent of respondents agreed it was safe with 21 percent saying they used retinal imaging devices, while half of respondents said they were unsure.
The study was recently published in the journal Pediatrics.
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Source: University of Michigan