Preferred practice guidelines for retinopathy of prematurity screening during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the leading cause of preventable infant blindness in the world and predominantly affects babies who are born low birth weight and premature. India has the largest number of surviving preterm births born annually. ROP blindness can be largely prevented if there is a robust screening program which detects treatment requiring disease in time. ROP treatment must be provided within 48 h of reaching this threshold of treatment making it a relative emergency. During the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in 2020 ROP screening was disrupted throughout the world due to lockdowns and restriction of movement of these infants, their families, specialists and healthcare workers. The Indian ROP Society issued guidelines for ROP screening and treatment in March 2020, which was aimed at preserving the chain-of-care despite the potential limitations and hazards during the (ongoing) pandemic. This preferred practice guideline is summarized in this manuscript.