Week in review: Smartphones detect ROP, residency programs on Instagram, atropine drops for myopia progression

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

In areas with fewer resources, a smartphone could be used to detect ROP remotely. A study funded by the National Eye Institute evaluated the performance of 2 smartphone-based fundus imaging (SBFI) devices for use in telemedicine-based retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) grading. The SBFI devices had 59% sensitivity for diagnosing any grade above mild ROP, but when they were used as a screening tool, they had 100% sensitivity for detecting treatment-requiring ROP and 83% sensitivity for detecting referral-warranted ROP. Dr. Peter Campbell, lead author of the study, said, “If the results of this study can be replicated in other telemedicine programs, it may be possible to rapidly improve access to care in regions where traditional ROP cameras are not available or affordable.” JAMA Ophthalmology; National Eye Institute

Want to engage ophthalmology residents? Try Instagram. Out of 124 clinically accredited ophthalmology residency programs in the United States, 78 (63%) had an Instagram account as of November 2021. The number of programs with an Instagram account increased by more than 1,000% between November 2018 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and November 2021. Ten programs have both a general account and a residency-specific account. In general, the most popular Instagram posts were related to department highlights. The authors of the study that reported these findings conclude that “Further research efforts should be made to measure the impact of Instagram and social media on the residency application and match process to inform the management of this powerful tool.” Clinical Ophthalmology

Is pharmacologic treatment for myopia progression on the horizon? The 3-year Childhood Atropine for Myopia Progression (CHAMP) phase 3 trials found that among 576 children with myopia, treatment with 0.01% atropine drops led to significantly higher rates of response and slower rates of myopia progression than placebo at all time points. Good rates of response and myopia slowing were also seen with 0.02% atropine drops vs placebo, but these were not significant. Both low-dose concentrations of atropine were safe and well tolerated. To date, no pharmacologic treatment for myopia progression has been approved in the United States or Europe. JAMA Ophthalmology